The Misadventures of William J Willow
by ThePokeArchive
Summary: Join William and his friends as he sets out on a quest to become the greatest master of ice type Pokemon the world has ever seen! But mystery follows the young trainer as he begins his ventures across many regions of the Pokemon world, and Will must soon realize that the things long since frozen in time are beginning to thaw.
1. I: An Icy Path

_Prologue_

 _I: An Icy Path_

Light glittered in sparkling rays from the walls and ceiling of a cave. Puffs of hot air emanated from the mouth of a young boy as his eyes marveled at the sight, shining as brightly as the frosty ice that surrounded him. Behind stood an elderly man dressed in a light blue overcoat, his gaze equally transfixed though unlike the youth's innocence, he instead possessed a gaze which belied an all-encompassing knowledge of his surroundings. On the boys right stood a woman, her features strikingly similar to that of the elder, but softened and warmed. She was smiling.

"Beautiful isn't it?" The young boy found no words, instead nodding in agreement.

"I agree, it sure is a sight. But we didn't just come here to look at shiny things Noelle!" said the old man stepping past them whilst retrieving a poke ball from his coat pocket. "Remember were here to check up and make sure that the Ice Path stays just that. An ICE PATH. The way the temperatures have been going lately, it won't be long before all of Johto is caught up in a summer heat wave! Last thing I want to see is the sole habitat of ice types be ruined in our region!"

"Now papa, no need to worry. I'm sure that everything will be just fine. So we've broken a few daily temperature records the past few weeks. That doesn't mean that the Ice Path is going to melt!" The old man simply rolled his eyes before tossing the poke ball high into the air. There was a bright flash of light as a large and hairy mammoth like creature burst into existence.

"Alright mamoswine, we are here to inspect the lower floor of the cave this time. If my theory is correct, then an Ice Rock is sure to be down there! That will get the attention of Professor Elm without a doubt. Maybe then he will listen to me a bit more about habitat preservation." The group clambered onto the great pokemon's back as it began to meander into the cave, clearly enjoying its surroundings.

"You know William, your grandfather caught Mamoswine in this very cave when it was just a baby swinub!" The little boys face flashed brightly.

"That's right! I know that story! Grandpa tells it to me every Christmas!" The old man chuckled.

"Well it is a good story after all."

"Maybe I will catch my first Swinub in here too mama!" said the boy, eagerly looking around the cave for any sign of movement.

"Now William I've told you before your first pokemon doesn't have to be the same as your Grandfathers."

"But I want it to be! I want to be exactly like him when I grow up Mama! The best gym leader in the whole region!" Pryce let out a loud cackle at this.

"See, your grandson knows the truth when he sees it Noelle. But I admit, at the last gathering Bugsy sure did give me one heck of battle with that Scizzor of his. Darn things so fast we could hardly keep up with it!" Mamoswine had veered down another path at this point, and the ground started to slope downward. The further they went, the colder the air seemed to get. William could feel his cheeks turning red at the bighting air, but did not mind. He was used to feeling the cold all around him after all the time he had spent in the Mahogany town gym.

He reached into the pocket of his jacket, hand curling tightly around a sole pokeball. It had been given to him by his mother on his seventh birthday, secretly of course. Dad did not approve of Pokemon battling very much, finding it to be a dangerous waste of useful time. Lucky enough, he had Mama on his side. This was no ordinary pokeball either, it was a luxury ball! One that was guaranteed to increase the friendliness of whatever pokemon he managed to catch. He hoped that before long, he and his swinub would become thick as thieves.

"Alright we should be getting close now," said Pryce motioning for Mamoswine to halt. The trio descended onto slippery floors while the gym leader eyed the walls and ceiling carefully. "Yes, yes something is different this time. We must be getting close, but confound it, where in the world is that rock?!"

"Here Papa, let me help." Said Noelle, retrieving a ball of her own, "Jynx, use flash!" There was burst of light, first from the pokemons appearance, and second from the technique it used. The whole cave lit up as if the sun had appeared where Jynx now stood, illuminating every dark crag and crevice.

"Ahhh this is good! See the way these formations are sloped? That's ice runoff. Its draining down somewhere deeper into the cave. Come with me!" With surprising agility for that of an old man Pryce was off, his party following suit. They trekked deeper and deeper into the cave, stopping occasionally so that Pryce could re-examine the walls. "I'm sure of it… We'll find it this time without a doubt!" Eventually the group came to a small passage way that required the returning of both Jynx and Mamoswine to their respective pokeballs. Noelle and Pryce themselves had to hunch just to fit.

"Papa, maybe this isn't the best time to be cave spelunking. I know that you said it would be fine to bring William, but this seems a bit dangerous."

"Nonsense Noelle, the boys perfectly fine, Hell he is probably better off than we are!" he said with a gruff. "At this rate he might be the only one that can see this thing through!" Indeed, the child was quickly becoming the only one who could properly fit between the frosty walls.

"Hey grandpa! I see an opening up ahead!" he said shining his flashlight forward. And then he saw it. A small rump of brown fur scurrying away from them. There was no doubt in his mind, it was a swinub. "YOURE MINE!" Shouted William, and in a state of frenzied excitement took off after the fleeing pokemon, ears to busy rushing with excitement to hear the cries of distress from his mother and grandfather. He emerged from the passage into a large chamber whose ceiling was like that of a cone. A ray of light was shining down, and a hole had appeared in the center of the room, melted from the warmth of sunlight. For moment he thought he had lost his quarry, but then he saw it again, this time properly as well. A swinub was standing perfectly opposite of him, watching with great intent. Williams hand flew to the ball in his pocket as he readied it for a toss. "I know that you're supposed to weaken a wild pokemon first, but trust me. You and I, we're supposed to be best friends! So there's no way this won't work!" He took a couple of steps forward, raising the ball in his left hand. Then he noticed that he was still moving. Faster and faster. He had failed to realize that the floor was a cone as well, steep and slicked with a layer of ice. Now he was sliding straight towards that great hole in the floor. He tried to resist, tried to fight but the more he resisted the faster he slipped his way towards the gaping crevice.

"Wait no! This isn't right! Grandpa Pryce! Mama somebody help!" He turned to catch one quick glimpse of his Mothers head poking out of the small crag into the chamber before weightlessness took him and he descended into the darkness.

When he next woke, William was lying in a large pile of powdery snow which had broken his fall. He could see from the light shining above that he had fallen a great distance, and silently thanked his luck. Looking around he found that he was in an even larger chamber than before. There were several large chunks of rock that rose up from an icy floor, each peppered with snowcaps. To the right was a small pond of snowmelt, as stalactites loomed menacingly above.

"how am I gonna get out of here?" He wondered taking a few steps. A low growl stopped him in his tracks. "Uhhmmm hello? Is anybody there?" He was greeted with the appearance of a hulking mass of brown fur and sharp tusks. He recognized it immediately, the secondary stage of Swinub. "A wild Piloswine!" He had only a moment to marvel at the Pokemon before it charged straight at him, forcing William to fling himself upon the floor to avoid being skewered. The pokemon gave a snort, angry that it had missed its target. William had barely managed to get back on his feet before it gave a second charge. This time he managed to scramble behind one of the large rocky pillars which shuddered as the pokemon collided.

"There has to be a reason! Grandpa Pryce always told me that Piloswine are usually really relaxed pokemon!" Not wanting to run face to face with the angry beast William climbed to the top of the barrier that protected him. "Alright I should be safe up here," he thought. He was quick to change his mind however when a flurry of sharp ice came flying towards his head. "That's ice shard!" He realized, falling flat onto his stomach to avoid a second barrage of frozen bullets. Obviously he had intruded into the Pokemon's territory, but that alone could not explain its irrational behavior. He managed to peek across the way from his post, and found an answer in the form of a nest. Two Swinub were cowering within, whilst an egg took up the rest of the space.

"A mother protecting her young of course!" This answer did little to help him though, as now he knew that the mother probably believed he was a thief come to steal her children. "Oh if only I had some of Grandpa Pryce's berry treats!" There was a cracking sound as the Piloswine charged over and over into the base of the stone. It wouldn't be long before he was back down on the ground, and then it would be game over.

"William hang on! Jynx quick use psychic!" William felt a strong force overtake his body as it was lifted into the air, a pinkish tint glowing around him. Near the center of the room where he had fallen he saw his mother and her Jynx whose eyes were closed in focus. "Hold on son! Grandpa is on his way! Jynx bring William over here!" With a woosh William flew towards his mother and her pokemon, grateful for its psychic abilities.

"Mom! That Piloswine! She has a nest down here!"

"I see. Well that explains why she was trying to maim you! Quickly now William, Stand behind me. Are you ready Jynx?" the pokemon gave a fierce nod before turning to face the oncoming Piloswine who had not yet given up her pursuit.

"She's using fury attack. Alright then, now it's our turn. Jynx, use Ice beam!" A sphere of energy materialized between Jynxes hands before she fired a bright cyan ray toward the charging pokemon. It struck, blasting the Piloswine backwards and covering it in a thick layer of ice. "good work Jynx! That should by us enough time, now quick use Psychic again on my mark. Ok, ready Papa? Then Jump!" William saw the frame of his grandfather as he leapt down through the hole in the chamber up above. Before he could fall too far though Jynx caught him in her telekinetic grasp, lowering him gently towards the ground. The sound of ice shattering returned Williams attention to the Piloswine who was really in a frenzy now. The wild Pokemon made yet another charge at them, though this time Pryce was ready.

"Alright you lout that will be enough! Mamoswine go! Take on her charge!" there was a flash, then Mamoswine stood, far larger than anything else in the room. The two Pokemon collided, with the wild Piloswine repeatedly jabbing Mamoswine with her tusks. "Now Mamoswine, give it back to her all in one go! Use Avalanche!" Mamoswines great tusks turned bright blue as it released a loud roar. In response a massive sum of snow came crashing down, burying Pilloswine. As the powder settled, it became clear that the wild pokemon had fainted from the battle. "Well then, disaster averted! See Noelle I told you there was nothing to worry about the boy is just fine!" Noelle shot her father a rather dirty look before attending to William.

"Are you alright? Did anything bad happen to you? You're not hurt right?

"I'm fine Mama really I am!" said the boy with a smile. "That was the coolest thing ever! But is she going to be alright? That Piloswine. She was only trying to protect her nest!"

"Yes yes, she will be fine," said Pryce, walking over towards the fainted Pokemon with berries in hand, "Once she's had a few of these she won't be so mad at us."

"Papa, we need to do more than just give her berries. You knocked her out, here use one of my revives on her." Noelle threw over a small yellow crystal which Pryce caught. Quickly he popped it into the Pokemons mouth, and in seconds she was awake and back on her feet. She did not attack though, rather quickly took to the berries in Pryce's hand.

"There you are, see you hard headed brute. You've got nothing to worry about." William felt a tinge of excitement in his heart again.

"Mama, there are some Swinub over in her nest just behind that rock! Do you think that I can catch one?" Noelle thought hard about her son's question, knowing full well that the pokemon were probably too young for a trainer to own.

"Perhaps William, it would be better if, at least for now we let them stay with their mother." Her words however were lost upon the young boy whose attention had instead been grabbed by a new sight.

"What on earth is that?!" He said pointing up towards one of the rooms rocky spires. Perched atop was a small, black creature with sharp claws, and a long red feather sticking out of its head. In an instant it leapt down to the floor darting about quickly as it snatched the last remaining egg out of the Piloswines nest.

"By Jo, that's a Sneasel!" Cried out Pryce, "quick after the little sneak he's stolen the egg!" The group rushed after the sneasel which ducked down quickly into another small opening in the wall. "Oh not this again!" Without a second thought William ducked down into the crevice after the thief. It was his fault that the mother had been distracted, he couldn't let this sneasel get away.

"Oh for goodness sake, Papa remind me never to listen to you again!" snapped Noelle as she retrieved another pokeball. "Evee quick! Follow after William! Help him get that egg back!" A flash and a small brown fox appeared. Its size and speed allowed it to quickly catch up to William.

"Evee!" he said with a smile, "see if you can catch up to that sneasel!" The little pokemon gave a quick bark before dashing ahead. William continued on after, and before long the sound of a scuffle filled the small tunnel. "She must have found him!" Sure enough the tunnel came to an end opening into yet another chamber. The sneasel stood claws barred on one hand, the other holding its prize while Evee circled around. "Evee! Do whatever you need to get that egg back!" Noelle's pokemon gave a curt nod before flying forward at a tremendous speed. The Quick Attack was a direct hit and sent the sneasel flying backwards into the icy walls of the room while the egg landed softly into a patch of snow. The dark pokemon was quick to react however, unleashing a blast of freezing cold air which struck Evee head on.

"It's using icy wind! Evee quick do something!" The Fox pokemon seemed lost though without the command of a proper trainer, and in its falter the Seasel made a second attack, slashing at Evee with its long claws. The normal type let out a cry of pain, before angrily striking back with a barrage of star shaped rays.

 _I need to end this now, but how?"_ Thought William. A second blast of cold air filled the room as the sneasel struck again, the biting cold forcing William to hide his face and hands within the folds of his jacket. There he found his answer.

"Evee! Hit with one more quick attack!" He yelled retrieving the pokeball from his pocket. Evee was gone in a flash, charging head first into the sharp clawed pokemon who was knocked to the ground. "Now's my chance! Go!" Shouted William as he threw the ball, there was a flash of light as the wild sneasel disappeared into the pokeball which began to rock back and forth upon the ground. Time seemed to stop for those few precious moments, William felt the beating of his heart in his throat. Then there was a loud click! As the button on the balls center blinked once. He had done it. He had caught the sneasel!

"William, my boy you need to quit charging into situations like this! Your mother is never going to trust me with trips if you keep getting into danger!" came the voice of Pryce who had managed to finish crawling through the narrow tunnel. "Well what's this? Did you manage to catch that sneasel all by yourself!" The boy gave a small nod.

"There goes my chance of befriending a swinub." Pryce saw the crestfallen features furrowing his grandsons face.

"Well my boy, you should count yourself lucky! Why sneasels are one of the rarest sights in this cave. An ice type and a dark type, speedy little fellas. Lucky you managed to catch up with him in time!"

"But Grandpa, I, don't want my first pokemon to be a thief!" Pryce chuckled.

"Now hold on there, don't be too quick to judge. Sure Sneasel wanted the egg, but hey everybody's got to eat right? Poor fella must have been desperate to steal from a nest all by himself. Normally they hunt in packs. This guy must have been cast out for some reason. Here, give him some of these berries later, I'm sure he will love them."

The duo returned to the piloswines chamber where they found a brightly smiling Noelle.

"Oh good you've got the egg, Excellent! And look at what I found Papa!" Noelle led the group to the nest, carefully placing the egg back next to a now friendly pilowsine. Behind her the found a small outcropping of rock, the center of which bore a large crystalline stone. Upon seeing it Pryce let out a large gasp.

"WE FOUND IT! The Ice rock! Oh at last we finally found it!" As he spoke Noelle's evee approached the stone curiously. In a matter of seconds, the pokemons body began to glow brightly as its shape morphed into a new form. When the process was complete, a Glaceon sat proudly licking one of its paws.

"Isn't she beautiful!" Cried out Noelle who gave her newly frosted pokemon a hug. Later, after a few hours of deciphering their exact whereabouts in the cave, the Pilowsine revealed a hidden path to the group that led them all the way back to the main route of the Ice Path. Night had fallen when they returned to the warm summer air of the surface and though all had not gone exactly as planned, William could not have been more ecstatic. He finally had a pokemon all his own. He was finally a trainer.


	2. II: Slopes of Silver

_Part II: Slopes of Silver_

Noelle cherished greatly the view laid out before her. To the east she could see every inch of the Kanto region, while the west revealed every nook and cranny of her beloved Johto. Never had she experienced such a perfect span of time. Just seven days before her journey up the sides of Mt. Silver, she had helped her father find an elusive yet crucial geographical marvel. One that had called for greater attention to the present condition facing many of the worlds regions. The earth was heating up. Only places further off to the North such as Sinnoh had managed to avoid the rise in temperatures. Not only that though, but she had also helped her son capture his very first pokemon, albeit it indirectly. She affectionately scratched the ear of the Glaceon that stood by her boot. Had it not been for her, who knows what would have happened.

As for her son and his new sneasle, the two had been off to a shaky start. The pokemon was very standoffish at first, preferring to rely upon its own strategies rather than listening to Williams commands. But after a harsh loss to Pryce's dewgong at the gym in a sparring session, the little pokemons attitude began to change. Now, the two were as close as could be.

"Papa? Are you still coming or shall I continue onward to the summit myself?" A ragged breath called out to her from below the snowy cliffs of Mt. Silver.

"Go on ahead of me! Confound it, this old man can't climb quite like he used to anymore! Air's to darn thin up this high!"

"Right! See you at the top!" Briskly Noelle and Glaceon began to make their way up the mountain side. Before long they had reached snowcapped trees, and soon after the tree line itself. This was the highest that Noelle had ever climbed the mountain before, its treacherous terrain and naturally powerful native pokemon made it dangerous for all but the most skilled of trainers. But she was on a mission.

There had been a sighting a great bird Pokemon colored sky blue. It had been seen flying about the mountains peak on the very day they had discovered the ice rock. Soon after a fierce storm had ravaged the area, leaving fresh powder galore. She had not doubts, it had been Articuno. Keen to keep their lucky streak alive, she believed that she could do much more than just catch a glimpse of the legendary bird. So confidant was she that she did not entirely believe her ears when she heard the first large cracking sound. Only when the ground began to rumble, and Glaceon stood with crystal fur bristling in distress did she understand.

"It's an avalanche…"


	3. III: The Decree

Part III: The Decree

William was staring outside the window of his house toward the gym. He had been for the past month. Rarely did he leave this post, it was the only place in the house that he felt comfortable and even that was pushing it. It hadn't felt like home since the day that his Grandfather had returned from Mt. Silver alone, his face sunken in despair. He called the event the worst avalanche in the mountains known history. Had it not been for his Mamoswine, he would have been lost as well.

A great service had been held, and all Mahogany town had turned up. She was very much beloved by the people, and the community grieved for its loss. William could not believe it to be true at first. He expected that she would turn up in the middle of the night, covered in frost but smiling like she always did. Many times, he was visited in his dreams by an image of her Glaceon, beckoning him toward what looked like a snowy cave. Whenever he managed to catch up to her though, the dream would end.

He had even become angry with her when she failed to return. But after the end of the first week, he realized that she had never kept him waiting this long even when it came to her best surprises. After that it had taken him another three weeks just to stop the tears. He wanted nothing more than to climb to the top of Mt. Silver himself, to free her from that icy tomb. But that would never come to pass, or at least that's what his father had told him.

In fact, his father had said many things. William had always known his father to be a quiet and reserved man. One that had loved Noelle very much. He had always said that she had spirit enough for both, and that this had been a good thing. But after she was gone, he seemed to slip away into a world all his own. Everything became about business. He was the owner of what had once been a small abandoned shop at the center of town. Many years ago, it had served as a hideout for the villainous Team Rocket. But after acquiring the property he spent years converting the place into an efficient processing plant. Material from all over the region was brought here, particularly the raw ores and minerals dug up from the depths of nearby Mount Mortar.

With Noelle at his side, he had always seen Pokemon as fun, but not crucial to life. Now he seemingly rejected them in every way but business. He had forbidden William from continuing to visit the Mahogany town gym, and had even threatened to release the only Pokemon that he was now allowed to keep. His Sneasel. This decree carried over into virtually every aspect of life. No friends were allowed over that trained Pokemon, nor was William allowed to watch any of the Johto league tournaments or events broadcasted on the television.

As William grew up he found ways to disobey; the presence of his grandfather granting him more comfort than that of the care of home. He began to understand that what his father did was designed to punish the one man whom he blamed for the death of his wife. Pryce Willow. Of course, William never once hated his grandfather for what had happened. Instead, his house became a quiet monument of sadness, and conversation was rarely carried. Even with the loss of his mother though, William had not lost his passion for Pokemon, nor his desire to become a gym leader like his grandfather. He frequently visited the gym in secret late at night, or on days where his father was carried away by business, training with Sneasel. The Pokemon in turn bonded ever so strongly with its trainer, sharing with him in his solitude.

So, the years did pass on, until the small boy had grown into young adulthood. Then on one warm summer day, everything changed.


	4. IV: The Decision

Part 4: The Decision

Will stood at the foot of his bedroom door heart beating fast. The sun had not yet fully risen, splashing waves of dawn through the sky. A traveling bag was strapped over his shoulders, and a glistening pair of new running shoes fit snuggly upon his feet. A present from his grandfather. Today was after all _The_ day, one that he had been planning and waiting for years to come. He was seventeen years old now, older than most setting out on their first pokemon adventure. But he was determined that his wait only meant it would be that much sweeter. He was to meet with his Grandfather at the eastern gate of town where together, they would set off for the southernmost portion of the region. Azalea Town.

He opened the door to his room silently, ensuring that every step took made no sound. First to the kitchen, where he grabbed a few snacks for the road before leaving a note attached to the fridge, explaining the situation to his father. He wouldn't mind the note, after all Will had taken care to make sure that it was as formal as possible. A final letter concluding their business. With that he stole out of the house, taking in the refreshing morning air.

 _Finally, I'm free!_

Hastily he made his way from the heart of the town towards the eastern gate. Ahead he could see his Grandfathers white scarf blowing in the morning breeze.

"William! Glad to see that you made it! And from the looks of things I'd say all set and ready to go!"

"Grandpa, nobody calls me that anymore," said the young man with a smile, "Will is just fine."

"Well Mr. cool guy, I've been calling you William since before you were even born so forgive me if I don't hop on this hip train of yours," piped back the old man. "Still don't see what the point is but never you mind that! We've got a schedule to keep! I told Elm that we would be in Azalea town by Friday so that only gives us two days.

"And how exactly are we supposed to cross more than half of Johto in just two days?"

"Ohhhh you leave that to your grandfather! I've got one or two tricks up my sleeves believe me, nobody knows the mountain caves around these parts better than me!" With that the two were off, Will following after his Grandfather, the cadence of his cane upon the ground filling his spirits with vigor.

"Just Imagine It Grandpa! Snowpoint City! I remember hearing so many stories about it as a child from mom. A place where winter never rests! There's bound to be countless Ice type Pokemon living in a place like that!"

"Oh without a doubt. Your just lucky that Elm needed someone to go and learn a thing or two about the Sinnoh Regions own Ice rock. Its located somewhat near the city. If all goes as planned you should be able to return with helpful news in preserving the one down in the Ice Path.

"Speaking of which, I had heard that you managed to stop most of the runoff. Do you think that the cave will be alright?"

"Generally speaking yes, at least for now. The Ice rock is so far down under the ground that it would take a drastic shift in temperature to threaten us with melting. That being said however, we still might lose some of the upper floors of the cave. All that water's going to need to go somewhere, so I hope that tunnel that Jasmine has been digging pays off. The Lake of Rage isn't what it used to be."

Eventually the duos path left the level ground and instead wound its way into the mountains. Steep and narrow trails followed suit, and on more than once occasion Will felt his heart leap at the sight of wild pokemon.

"Don't get your hopes up to much boy, we won't be finding any ice types in these parts."

"I know I know it's just. Well."

"You don't have to explain it to me William, even after all these years I still get a thrill seeing em out here in the wild. Gets a trainer's spirit pumping. Which reminds me, what is it your out to do now exactly? You explained it somewhat over the phone but. Well I won't lie, my hearings not what it used to be." Will laughed, happy to share the conversation.

"I told you Grandpa, I want to become a master Ice type trainer like you! But in order to do that, I first want to travel around to all of the regions. See why certain species originated in them, then of course add them to my team! Sneasel here is my representative of Johto!"

"I see. And do you intend to continue your trainings while you travel? It is very easy to lose sight of your focus."

"Not to worry Grandpa, have a little faith. You taught your grandson well! I've got that ice block meditation thing down I promise!"

"Hmm we'll see about that!" snorted the old man with a smile.

When the sun had reached the zenith of its orbit the two travelers had stopped for lunch, munching on a couple of sandwiches at the mouth a cave.

"So, where exactly are we then on the map?"

"We are right about here. Nobody knows about this path, except of course for myself and the Gym leader of Blackthorn City. We use it every now and then when we want to move around the region undisturbed."

"So were actually pretty close to Blackthorn aren't we?"

"That's right, just a little further east would put us there. This however, is what we want. The treacherous Black Cave of Johto. It's like somebody loosed the cap on an inkwell in there. Even with lights, sight doesn't come easily. But if you know your way around." The old man gave Will a wink before standing. "Alright time to be off! We need to make it to Violet city before dark if you want to see the Bellsprout tower!" Together they plunged into the cave. Will was quick to retrieve a flash light from his bag, though his Grandfather stopped him before he could activate its light.

"Now hold on a second there, no need for that. First rule of traveling, don't rely too much on your gear. You've got your mind, and you've got your Pokemon. Both are really all that you need. Watch!" there was a quick flash as Pryce released a pokemon into the cave, its body silvery and white, sporting a pair of large black horns on its head.

"Glalie?"

"That's right! Now Glalie use flash!" A great radiance sparkled outward from the pokemons body, lighting up portions of the cave. There was no obvious path to follow, yet Pryce started right off, Glalie floating just above his head.

"But I don't understand. How does Glalie know how to use that move?"

"A pokemon can learn a great number of techniques William. Not all of em can be remembered in the heat of battle though. Choose four that you truly wish to have your pokemon devoted to. Much like a martial artist or a well-groomed soldier, in the thick of a battle when you give the order they'll be able to use these attacks without fail. Never neglect though, some which carry different benefits." The two came to what looked like a dead end and for a time Pryce stood with his eyes closed and a hand raised for silence. Will wasn't sure entirely what it was that his Grandfather was doing until he hopped on the spot.

"By jove there you are! Follow me William!" With that the old man stepped behind a rock and then vanished from sight.

"Grandpa?! Grandpa where did you go?" Glalie followed next, revealing that Pryce had fallen down through a hidden hole. As he neared it, the sound of rushing water filled his ears.

"What's taking so long!?" Came the old man's voice which echoed about the cave. With a flutter in his stomach Will jumped, falling towards what he could now see was a large and gushing river within the cave. "Catch him Dewgong!" There was a splash and then Will felt something cool, smooth, and wet beneath his legs. The Seal pokemon turned and smiled happily at its passenger. Pryce pulled up beside riding atop his mighty Lapras.

"What is this place?"

"An underground river that's what. Once we pass through the rapids we'll be less than a few hours away from Violet City. Told you I knew a few shortcuts!"

It all might as well have been a perfect dream in William's mind. Their journey down through the dark rapids was perhaps the most fun that he had ever experienced in his entire life. All he could think of was one resounding fact. This was just the beginning, there would be so much more! And he wanted it. He craved adventure more than the food he ate or the water he drank. Pryce was accurate in his estimations as well. When the water finally slowed to a calm stream they departed recalling their pokemon before briskly exiting the cave out into the late summer afternoon. By evening they had reached Violet City, spending the waning hours of the sun exploring the great Bellsprout tower and sharing in a few battles. Quickly they were up again, before the sun had arisen having to trek still through Union Cave before they finally reached their destination. Upon seeing it, Will knew immediately why people had settled here. The town was nestled in small green valley, cozily pressed against the great towering trees of the Ilex forest. A scent of firewood filled the air, alongside an inescapable feeling of peace and relaxation.

"Look at that William we made it, and with some time to spare! Good maybe I'll get a chance to settle the scores with that Bug lover."

"Careful what you say old man! It's not wise to jab a hornets nest!" came a voice from a nearby tree. Out of its branches jumped a young man, sporting what William thought was a most ridiculous scout outfit.

"Well speak of the devil! Bugsy! I'd like you to meet my Grandson William. William, this is Azalea Towns gym leader…"

"Just call me Bugsy!" piped in the young man.

"Will is just fine as well," he replied.

"So, I assume you two are here to journey with Professor Elm to Vermillion City over in Kanto once he's all done here."

"Well partially. This I'm afraid is as far as I go. Just wanted to help out my grandson a bit before sending him off, he's got a ticket for the ferry to Sinnoh!"

The two Leaders continued to talk as the group made its way to the pokemon center for a quick rest. William laughed as he learned of his Grandfathers "score" being down two to one with the Bug specialist due to a certain Mega Scizor. Soon a man in a white lab coat and glasses pressed closely to his face entered. He was very sweaty, having carried in two large incubation machines on his back.

"Ah Professor! How are your studies going? Anything to report on the effects of close contact and ideal environmental stimulation?"

"Baffling I say just baffling! You'd think that an oddish egg would be most keen to hatch under the protection of Ilex forest! You know that they hate direct sunlight and enjoy damp places, so I can't imagine there being a better place in all of Johto! I have been walking through these woods for three days now and still no signs of hatching. I may have to take a new approach to my theory about Pokemon Cradles.

"Cradles?" Asked William with fresh confusion, "but those are eggs aren't they?" The professors face lit up at this question.

"Ahhhhh this must be the new trainer I was to meet! William right? Well I'm very pleased to see you again William It's been some time! You were just a tiny tike when I last saw you! Oh you know your mother and grandfather have given me so much help over the years with my research!" Pryce gave a sly smile.

"Always thinking about work eh Elm?"

"Ahh! And Leader Pryce you're here as well! This is just marvelous! Spectacular!"

"You see Will the Professor here is kind of the leading researcher on Pokemon breeding! Lately he has been investigating how certain factors can play into the hatching of an egg," said Bugsy.

"That is correct! And if my theory proves accurate, then I may have finally found one piece of the mystery concerning Pokemon Albinism!"

"What trainers often refer to as shiny pokemon," added Bugsy who recognized the confusion on Williams face, "It's a rare occurrence where a pokemon has different color patterns than others of its species. The professor believes that it has something to do with the hatching process of an egg."

"Cradle!" corrected the professor, "you see egg is really a bad term to use, the only justification for it comes from the shape. Really though, compared to eggs a Pokemon Cradle is not at all the same. In fact, it's far more similar to a cocoon!" The professors face without warning suddenly lit up as though some great clarity had possessed him and he quickly fetched a tape recorder from his pocket.

"Note, no experiments have been fundamentally set on detecting the differences between mother and father caring of cradles before hatching. Have the attendants begin Investigating right away!" Elm wiped his head, and William noticed that his hand followed perfectly along a receding hairline.

"Being a professor must be difficult I'd imagine," he said with a small laugh.

"On some occasions without a doubt," chuckled Elm, "but in the end I find that my work is always worth the hassle. Oh and speaking of Mothers and Fathers William, did you meet with your father yet? He is waiting for you here in town. Said that it was urgent that you speak with him as soon as possible." William was baffled for a moment.

"Im sorry I think I heard wrong. Did you say that my father was here?"


	5. V: Against the Odds

Part 5: Against the Odds

William exited the Pokemon center, his path leading him through the streets of Azalea towards a small house to the north. Wisps of black smoke were winding upwards from its chimney while a few young men and women worked outside with a large bird Pokemon holding a stick between its feathers. His heart was racing rapidly as he tried to think of what he was going to say, after leaving Mahogany town he didn't think he would hear from his father for quite some time. The inside of the house was quaint, and smelled strongly of smoke. Will quickly recognized the figure of his father, speaking with a man behind an old register.

"Excellent, I expect then that your delivery will arrive within the week?"

"But of course Mr. Ardelis, we thank you for your business here!" With a sideways glance Mr. Ardelis saw William, waving with his hand to follow as he stepped back out into the sunlight.

"Dad… What are you doing here? How did you even know that I was?"

"I didn't," cut in Mr. Ardelis, speaking in the tone of a man on business, "it was really just a coincidence. There were several shipments that I ordered from Azalea Logging last month and I wanted to compare samples with some of the Norths' competition. Fine work that they do down here, always have."

"Oh. So then you weren't trying to stop me?"

"There is nothing here to stop William. My business is now complete, and you and I are heading home. We'll take the company plane back to Mahogany town, flights only around forty-five minutes maybe an hour."

"No dad. I'm not going back home with you. Not this time." For the first time, Mr. Ardelis seemed to stop and weigh his son's words.

"William, understand I am trying to be patient with you but this so called venture of yours is not going to happen. I will not allow for it."

"I'm not asking for your permission; I am doing this of my own free will!"

"Is that so? Tell me then son how is it you plan to manage your finances out there in the world when you have no money or source of income? You certainly won't be receiving any from me."

"I've got enough money saved away that I have earned working on my own father. I'll make it work out as I go along!"

"Yes but you're going to blow all of your starting funds on a ferry ticket. Sinnoh is not right around the corner William." Will flashed a ticket from his pocket.

"Don't need to I've already got one. A birthday gift from Grandpa."

"Ahh yes, of course Willow is involved in this. William, you are not your grandfather. You are my son; you are a member of the Ardelis family with responsibilities to uphold. You don't have time to waste playing games with pets when there's a business to be run."

"Yes, but that's YOUR business! I know that you built it up yourself, and that your proud but dad there is so much more to life than making money!" Mr. Ardelis resumed his walk, acting as if Will had said nothing.

"There's nothing left here for you to say William. We're leaving… Now," he added finally with threatening eyes. Will wasn't sure what to do. There was some strange force that seemingly wanted him to bow down to his father's wishes and simply go. But the thought of eking out his existence inside some miserable factory made his guts squirm with disgust. Yet years of experience had taught that nothing he could say would move his father at this point. Few things would. Suddenly, an idea sprang into his mind.

"Wait. What if we made a deal?" Mr. Ardelis' brow furrowed.

"A deal?"

"Yes, an agreement based on an outcome. You want me to come home and work in your business fine. I will agree to doing just that, based on one determining factor."

"Oh? And what might that be?" Will smiled, he had managed to get a hook, but could he reel it in?

"You have to defeat me in a Pokemon battle, plain and simple. If you win, we do things your way. If I win, I am free to pursue whatever path I choose.

It seemed time slowed as Mr. Ardelis considered the proposition before him. Then much to Will's surprise he nodded.

"This I can agree to, so long as I am allowed to dictate certain rules regarding the match. I am no fool William, you've had plenty of one on one training with that Sneasel of yours. Agree to this, and I will accept.

"Countering one deal with another deal? You really do think everything is a business don't you," joked William. Mr. Ardelis only held out his hand.

"Do you accept?"

"Fine, but they can only be minor alterations to the rules, nothing over the top."

"Then it's a deal."

Over the next forty minutes Will explained his situation to his grandfather as well as the professor who agreed to stay and watch the match.

"It will be fine! The ferry won't be leaving for Sinnoh until mid-day tomorrow anyway so we can afford to stay one more night. Still I must say Will, this is a pretty big moment your throwing up into the air. What will happen if you lose?"

"There's no way I am going to lose to my old man, especially not at Pokemon battling!" laughed Will. His father could make up any rule he wanted, when it came down to it he just wouldn't have enough experience to get him through the fight. Pryce on the other hand, said nothing. Instead choosing to sit quietly in the corner as the professor and his grandson discussed locations and travel stops for his trip to Sinnoh.

It had been decided that the match would take place that night, right at sun set. This of course Will knew was so that Mr. Ardelis could obtain Pokemon of his own to use during the battle, seeing as how he didn't possess any himself. Will and Sneasel were waiting in their room of the Pokemon center discussing strategies for the upcoming match when Pryce entered.

"Well hello there Sneasel! Looking nice and strong tonight now aren't we?" The pokemon gave a sharp smile before jumping up onto the bed. Pryce took a seat, scratching playfully with its ear. "William, I wanted to talk to you about this match."

"No need to worry gramps, I've got this battle locked down. Trust me, Sneasel and I will be fine!"

"Oh I know that you two will do splendidly! I've seen you at work in my own gym remember? It's your father I am worried about. From the sound of it he didn't even try to turn down the agreement. For all that he may be, your father is not a fool. He wouldn't be doing this unless he was confident that the odds were in his favor."

"Exactly! See he can't look at it any other way other than with numbers and such and that's what will be his downfall," said Will with a smile, "all his business expertise won't be of use in the arena."

"Perhaps not, nevertheless it never hurts to have some luck on your side," said Pryce handing Will a small necklace with a curved claw as its pendant.

"What's this?"

"Oh just a bit of a good luck charm," winked Pryce, "have Sneasel hold on to it during the battle." He looked out the window, noting that the sun was near the horizon. "Well then, looks like it's about time."

The two headed outside to the Pokemon centers back where an empty battle field had been prepared. Bugsy was there, wearing a referee shirt over his scout outfit while the professor was sitting on some old looking bleachers. Mr. Ardelis stood already waiting on the other end of the field.

"Best of luck out there kid. You'll do great!" whispered Pryce before joining on the stands.

"As gym leader of Azalea, it is both my honor and privilege to be the official in charge of this match!" shouted Bugsy raising a red and green flag high in the air. "As referee it has also come to my attention that this match will carry special rules which are to be explained now."

"Thank you Mr…. Bugsy," said Mr. Ardelis taking a few steps forward, "my son and I have come to the agreement that the winner of this match will be determining the next crucial steps of his future. That aside, I have also been given permission from my son to modify the conditions of this battle to even the playing field. These are my terms. Firstly, my son cannot use any Pokemon that belong to his grandfather. In fact, he shall only be allowed a single Pokemon for this match. I on the other hand, shall be using three. Should his Pokemon be knocked out at any point in the battle, I am victorious. The same should he KO all of mine. Secondly, there is to be no help or advice offered during the battle from any external party here with us today."

Bugsy looked surprised over these terms, though Will ignored him. three against one were bad odds, but still possible. Had it been any more he knew that he could have openly refused it but this was within the realm of possibility.

"Very well then. This shall be a one vs three battle with no substitutions! Victory will be achieved when either trainers party has been completely knocked out. Trainers ready? And Begin!"

With that both trainers released their first choices in a spectacle of light. Sneasel appeared smugly on the field, Pryces good luck charm wound around its forearm. Meanwhile, the large bird Pokemon Will had seen earlier that day came out upon his father's side, brandishing a long green stick.

 _A flying type up first? But he must of known that I would use an ice type. Oh well"_ thought William with a smile. His father on the other hand gazed sternly back.

"This son, is Farfechetd. Useful to the people here as an excellent wood cutter. He assists the men and women of the lumber yard when they need to clear trees away from Ilex forest. Now he shall help me make you see sense.

"Alright that's enough! Sneasel Ice shard!" The dark Pokemon was quick as a bolt, swiping its claws through the air and launching icy bullets that bombarded the bird pokemon.

"Farfetched! Use slash!" Will was surprised to see that the bird had indeed withstood the speedy attack. With a flutter of its wings it launched itself, brandishing its stick like a sword before slashing it across Sneasles body. It may have been a direct hit, but sneasel barely flinched. Will knew that they had to be worlds apart in level.

"Sneasel return the favor now with night slash!" The claws on sneasles hands became engulfed in a dark aura as it retaliated, raking Farfechdt up its side. This was too much for the fowl pokemon to take and it collapsed to the ground, its endurance having been exhausted.

"Farfetchd can no longer battle! Sneasel is the winner!" Mr. Ardelis recalled his pokemon without a word. "When you run a business, it is important to acknowledge that there are multiple levels of support. To the worker out in the field all the way up to corporate, every one's job matters. Now then, Machop! You're up next!" Another flash, this time a small grey pokemon took the field.

" _Shoot... Machop is a fighting type, which means he has the advantage on two fronts,"_ Will thought. He would need to end this phase of the battle quickly.

"Trainers ready? And begin!"

"Alright Sneasel! Ice punch!" the Pokemons curled fist turned a vibrant blue as it charged towards its opponent.

"Machop! Counter with low sweep!" The fighting Pokemon stood waiting until Sneasel launched its fist, ducking low whilst sweeping its leg. Sneasel was caught by the attack and fell hard down upon its back. "Now follow up with Karate Chop!" The brawler pokemons hand flashed for moment before coming down upon Sneasels chest.

 _"Two fighting type moves back to back?!"_ Will felt panic building in his chest. His pokemon may be at a higher level than his fathers, but that would not stop effective moves from dealing out a tremendous amount of damage. Sneasel would only be able to endure so much.

"Ice shard and make it fast!" Sneasel unleashed a flurry of bolts which struck machop in the face causing it to back away. "Good now get out of there!" With graceful acrobatics Sneasel returned towards Will's side of the field.

"Well now William, that's three techniques I have witnessed. Ice punch, ice shard, and night slash. Only one left, yet you seem hesitant to call upon it. I wonder why that is." Will couldn't help but smile.

"Watch out father, your starting to sound more like a trainer more than a man of business."

"I disagree. It is important always to know where you stand in life. That unknown technique of your pokemon is like an unknown factor in a business deal. Never make a deal unless you can see every angle, and ensure as I have that you come out on top."

"Is that so? Well I hate to disappoint your formula but we are not losing this battle!"

"You've already lost, it's only a matter of time. Take a good look at your opponent William. Machop is a strong, sturdy, reliant creature. Everything I would want to see in a good employee. The people here use Machop to a great extent. They help in the movement of trees felled by Farfetched. There is no need to pollute the environment with large machines when a Pokemon can handle the work just fine."

"The way you talk about Pokemon father does not sound enticing. If you treat your workers with the same view that you have here, then you only see tools!" A new emotion was broiling in Will's gut now. Disgust. "Sneasel sweep to the left and use Ice shard!" Sneasel was off in an instant, crossing to the left side of the arena whilst letting lose many icy arrows toward its foe.

"Break them all with karate chop!" the brawlers aim, Will had to admit, was spot on as it broke every single one of Sneasel's shards. However, in its distraction, Sneasel had managed to close in. This time would be different.

"Ice punch go!" Sneasel was behind Machop before the fighting Pokemon knew what to do and as Sneasel's frozen fist struck, Machop found itself covered in a thick layer of ice. Rather than give a command Mr. Ardelis put his head down, hand raised to his temple. Will realized that he had given up on this one. "Ice shard one more time!" Mist covered the battlefield as the icy bolts struck Machops frozen figure. When it had settled the brawler had fainted.

"Machop is unable to battle, Sneasel is the winner!"

"Now we come to the end of this little mishap," said Mr. Ardelis recalling his Pokemon, "are you ready William?"

"Just go already!" Will shouted. His father was acting far too sure of himself.

"If you insist, now then Growlithe, wrap this up!" Another bright flash, and their final adversary stood before them. A puppy like Pokemon of bright orange covered with black stripes.

"A fire type…"

"Indeed Willaim. See once Machop brings the wood back to the station, it is Growlithe who begins the process of transforming the tree into high quality charcoal. They can safely control the flames, as you are about to see."

"Trainers ready? And Begin!" Mr. Ardelis was the first to make a move this time.

"Flamethrower!" Growlithe took a deep breath before releasing a steady stream of fire straight towards Sneasel.

"Dodge it! Move to the right! That's it, just stay ahead of the flame while closing in!" Sneasels speed managed to keep it ahead of the fiery deluge, but Will knew they had to be careful. One wrong move and he could lose, but they would have to take a chance. "Alright now Sneasel use poison jab!" Sneasels claws glowed a dark purple before being jabbed into the fire pokemons side. The puppy let out a yelp, but Mr. Ardelis only smiled.

"Flame Wheel!" There was nowhere to go. Even Sneasel couldn't escape when this close to the enemy. Growlithe spun its body while breathing fire, transforming into fierce flaming saw that charged right into Sneasel. There was an explosion of smoke, choking the two Pokemon from sight. Will felt his heart stop.

 _"Please, don't let this be over"_

"Well would you look at that," Said Mr. Ardelis with a bit of a scowl. The smoke had cleared away, revealing both Pokemon to still be standing. Sneasel looked as though it might collapse at any given minute, while purple sparks crackled around Growlithe's body. "Looks as though you managed to poison my Pokemon. See how an unknown factor can jeopardize a deal? No matter, Sneasel has performed admirably and I commend you on your raising of it. However, he clearly cannot withstand another attack. Growlithe flamethrower!"

"Sneasel, dodge it!" But the Pokemon was to exhausted. Instead it stood jaw clenched. This was it. They were going to lose.

At this point the sun had fully set, and the moon had risen from beyond the far off mountain ridge.

Pryce gave a sly smile as a pulsing light filled the battle arena. Growlithe halted in its attack, and the two competitors stood in awe. It was an evolution. Sneasel's body was changing and when the light cleared it possessed a full crown of blood red feathers, larger claws, and a more muscular body. It had become Weavile.

"Finish it Growlithe! Flamethrower quickly!" Cried out Mr. Ardelis, panic now coursing through his voice. The fire type obeyed and unleashed another stream of bright flames. Weavile however, smiled as large icicles formed in its hands. Then with a mighty leap it rose high into the air up above the impending attack.

" _I know this technique!_ " Will realized, as Weavile launched the icicles down on its foe. "Icicle crash!" Mist engulfed the field as the attack struck, and as it cleared the puppy Pokemon was revealed fainted upon the ground.

"Growlithe can no longer battle! Game set! And the winner of this match is Will of Mahogany town!" shouted Bugsy happily. Mr. Ardelis appeared dumbstruck.

"This can't be happening. I had planned everything out accordingly! Sneasel can't just evolve on its own! It's not like normal Pokemon!"

"Very perceptive!" said Pryce as he made his way over to Wills side. "For a man who claims to dislike battling, you sure do know quite a bit about Pokemon. See I knew that you would play dirty. Your son gave you the opportunity to level out the playing field, an honorable decision. You on the other hand took it to the extreme. You tried to extort your own son! Well I wasn't going to just stand by and watch you rip away everything my grandson loves. So, I gave him a little boost."

"Grandpa, I don't understand." Said Will. He was as amazed at the outcome as his father.

"Well its quite simple William. That charm that I provided you and Sneasel with before the battle was an object known as a razor claw. When held by a Sneasel at night, it causes the Pokemon to evolve into Weavile."

"Then you violated our agreement!" Said Mr. Ardelis with a bit of a smile, "it was stated that Will was to receive no help from you during the battle!"

"Not quite right sonny. I never spoke up once during this battle. See I gave that charm to William before the battle had even begun. In that sense, I gave him help BEFORE the battle and therefore have made no violation of your so called contract. Or are you about to go back on your own words, Mr. Ardelis? I sure should hope not. After all, whether you realized it or not, your battle attracted quite a bit of attention."

Will saw that his grandfather was right. Many citizens of Azalea had appeared in the stands. Among them was the man that his father had made deals with earlier that day.

"I may not be an expert at business. But a man who doesn't keep his word is not the type of man I would want to deal with," said Pryce with a wink. The old man had played his own game, and now Mr. Ardelis was trapped.

"Ahem… Very well then. I will honor the terms of the deal. William, you are free to go," said his father bitterly. He returned Growlithe to its Pokeball, before handing all three over to one of the workers from Azalea lumber, then left without another word."

"Will! That was some show you put on for all of us! I couldn't be more proud of you," said Pryce giving his grandson a hug. "You and Weavile sure have come a long way since that day in the ice path. I know that you will be just fine during your travelers, and that someday you will be one of the best ice specialists this world has ever seen!"

Wills head was swimming. It was like he was floating in some kind of dazed dream. It wasn't until they had finished up healing at the Pokemon center, and that he was lying in bed with a full moon shining down on him and Weavile that he felt ease come over him. He scratched behind his Pokemons ear, smiling with one thought.

 _We're on our way_


	6. VI: Goodbye Mr Ardelis

Prologue VI: Goodbye Mr. Ardelis

The journey to Kanto was to take place early that morning. Professor Elm had completed collecting data for his research, and was keen on sharing it with his colleague Professor Oak in Pallet Town. They would be traveling using the professors own plane, an ancient looking thing. Will awoke to the smell of breakfast cooking and quickly dressed. He found both Weavile and his grandfather waiting at one of the Pokemon Centers tables, happily eating a hearty meal.

"Ahh so the prince finally rises!" joked Pryce whilst munching on a crispy apple, "What took you so long eh?"

"So long? Grandpa its six in the morning most people are still sleeping."

"Yeah and those people are the ones missing out on all the good stuff! Mark my words kid, there isn't a better time to hunt for Pokemon than during the hours of dawn. Also one of the best times for viewing scenery but then again most youth don't seem to care much for that anymore."

"Come on gramps, you know better than anyone that I'm a sucker for a pretty picture," laughed Will, digging into a bowl of oatmeal.

"Good morning everyone!" said Professor Elm, proudly walking through the doors of the center. His face was alight with fresh excitement.

"Elm? What were you doing out there, I thought you were still in your room?" asked Pryce.

"Achieving success that is what I am doing!" blurted Elm, obviously delighted at the opportunity to explain himself. "You see I realized that I had been going about my method all wrong! Sure Oddish dislike direct sunlight but that alone wasn't enough. Ilex forest is the ideal place for hatching their young, just not during the day! It's at night! NIGHT! I can't believe it took me so long to realize! I mean the species makes their primary periods of migration during the night!"

"I take it then you managed to get the eggs to hatch?" asked Will excitedly. He had always wanted to see one undergo the process.

"Oh without a doubt my boy! Though sadly I did not manage to produce any cases of Albinism. That mystery will have to wait for another day."

"Well where are they then? The Oddish?"

"I found a larger group of them moving through the forest led by a Bellosom and a Vileplume. Better to leave them out there in the wild among their fellow Pokemon then keep them with me. I'm no trainer after all." The idea of newly hatched Pokemon wandering around in the wild bothered Will, but if a Professor deemed it alright then it must be.

They spent the rest of the morning talking and eating breakfast. They were slated to leave at eight that morning, and as the hour crept closer Will's heart kept beating faster and faster. When Elm had left to get the plane ready Will stood waiting by the Centers door, bag on his back ready to go.

"Calm down now boy, you're going to give yourself a heart attack before you even start!"

"I know I know it's just… Wow this is actually happening! I mean it's finally happening Grandpa!" Pryce smiled at his Grandson.

"You know, even after sixty years I still remember the day my journey started. Nothing ever really quite like it. Treasure every moment of it William, you've more than earned it." As he said this Pryce revealed a large wrapped present from under the table. "Here, something to remember your old Grandpa by. Sinnoh is a much colder region than Johto, even us ice specialist's need to be prepared sometimes." Inside was a dark blue jacket, just Will's size.

"Grandpa it's perfect!" he said quickly pulling it on over his T shirt. "Thank you!"

"The only thanks I need is to see you put it to good work. From what I've heard that's the current fashion up there in old Sinnoh. It's a great place William. Lot of history to it. Remember to take your time. It's easy to rush through a region and not realize you're doing it." Will gave his Grandfather a long hug. He was the only thing that he would miss.

The roar of an engine told the two that it was time. They did not say goodbye; they didn't need to. Instead Will gave one last look back, a mischievous smile on his face.

"You better be ready for one heck of a battle when I get back!"

"Ha! You better come ready! I won't go easy on you anymore!"

With that Will walked outside. The plane was all set for takeoff and after one look at it Weavile seemed rather happy to return to its Pokeball. Will hopped up into the passenger seat and before long they were off, flying high up into the clouds. Azalea looked like a tiny blip when compared to the enormity of Ilex forest, and to the northwest Will could just make out the skyline of Goldenrod city. Soon though he saw nothing but open ocean. Far down to the south he thought he could make out something on the horizon and he pointed to the professor who had to shout to be heard.

"That's Mt. Ember! Part of an archipelago called the Sevii Islands! They branch down into the seas between Kanto and Johto!" After about thirty minutes of flying Kanto came into view. Will's eyes wandered hungrily about the regions landscape. He wasn't sure when, but someday he knew he would walk its routes, forests, and caves. After another forty-five minutes the plane dipped and veered to the left. They were heading for the heart of the regions trade center. Vermillion City, famous for the many ships that visited its harbor. The plane landed down into the water of the harbor, the landing going much smoother than Will would have thought the machine capable of.

"Well Will, we made great time but you've still only got about thirty minutes left till the ferry departs, probably best if you make your way over there now."

"Will do, and thank you so much professor! For everything!" Will waved as Elm took off back into the sky. The harbor was bustling with many persons and Pokemon all boarding ships but before long he was able to find his ferry.

"All aboard for Sinnoh! S.S Nautica soon to depart for Sinnoh!" Called a man up on the Ferry's deck while ringing a bell. Will retrieved his ticket from his bag, approaching a stairwell on wheels that led up to another sailor who was busy checking passengers aboard. Before Will could make it though, a familiar voice called out to him.

"William stop!" He knew it before he turned to look. It was his father.

"What are you doing here?" Will asked with a grumble. His feelings had turned rather sour towards his father after their battle.

"I know I said that I would let you go, son. We had a deal and I will honor that. However, I still have one last card to play in this little game of ours." He handed a postcard to Will, a picture of his mother and her Evee waving happily from up in a tree with gold and red leaves. Beneath it read,

 _See you soon!_

"What… What is this?"

"One last chance son," said Mr. Ardelis gravely. "I need you to grasp the true gravity of this situation, and yet time and time again you have ignored the reasonable. Now I am forced to deal my hand. You have a choice to make, William. Just like your mother did. I warned her of the dangers Pokemon create, the situations they inevitably lead us towards. Terrible beauties, every single one of them. She knew the risks of climbing a mountain as dangerous as Silver, yet nothing could deter her. Not even her duty to her family. You take after her in so many William, but Id always hoped that this particular trait, you might learn to control. I had hoped all those years without them might have helped you to see that; to know when its time to stop.

I beg you, stay with me, and take your rightful place in a business that I have spent my whole life building up not just for me, but for you and your future! Don't waste your life by continuing down this route! If you do… I cannot support you… I will not stand idly by again and allow another member of this family die because of Pokemon!"

These words resonated within Will in a way he did not expect. For so long all he had perceived was his father's lack of emotion. But now he understood.

"Funny… You know, I expected you to try a lot of things but this…This isn't healthy. Dad I know how much you miss her, but, to blame mom's death on all Pokemon? That's not fair to them! Or Grandpa! And especially to me! Cutting them out of your life entirely, treating them like common place tools. It won't make the pain disappear, and it won't bring mom back! I need this journey. I want to see the world! Not spend every moment in fear of what could be or always playing things safe! I want to be able to move on from all of this. Its what she would have wanted."

William waited, his heart beating fast hoping that maybe he had gotten through this time. Yet his father said nothing, his jaw simply locked in frustration. With nothing left to say, Will offered him back the photo, yet his father declined.

"Keep it. You'll need her out there more than me." With that his father turned and began to walk away from the ferry. Glancing over his shoulder he offered a final parting.

" _You're on your own then."_

With that William took the stairs up to the ferry handing the checker his ticket. He then proceeded to the front of the bow, his eyes set out on the open ocean, and all that he knew lay before him.

" _Goodbye then Mr. Ardelis._ " he thought while taking in a deep breath of the briny sea air, ready to start on something new.


	7. VII: A New Moon

Chapter I: A New Moon

The voyage had taken nearly seven days, but at last, Will was able to make out in the distance a great shape that seemed to stretch its way up into the sky. From everything that he had heard about the region, he guessed that the mass must have been the far peak of Mt. Coronet. A mountain famed throughout the entire world. It was even taller than Mt. Silver back home in Johto, and was steeped in ancient mysteries.

The sun was setting, and had cast a red gaze upon the calm sea giving it an almost caramel appearance. Weavile stood on top of the ships railing, excitedly staring at the approaching region. He was as ready for this adventure as Will. Before long the ship was pulling up towards the harbor of Canalve city. Hardly able to contain himself, Will rushed off the ship onto the dock, Weavile in hot pursuit. Once they had managed to reach a place where water no longer lurked beneath their feet Will through his hands up into the air in triumph.

"We made it! Were finally in SINNOH!" A couple of persons gave the young man strange looks as they passed but he didn't mind. He had waited years for this moment, nothing was going to spoil it. He knew that the first place he should head for was the Pokemon center, but he was tired of waiting and wasn't even sure if he would be able to sleep due to excitement. Instead he was resolved to begin making the long trip toward Snowpoint city, a venture that would undoubtedly take him possibly a week or more to complete. He followed signs and cobblestone streets, crossing over a large drawbridge whose closing signified the end of the work day for the warehouse workers of the city. Soon he was passing the Pokemon center and heading toward the gate that would take him into the wilds of the region when a voice called out.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing!?" Will turned to see a young man of about his age with sandy colored hair rushing up to greet him. "Are you crazy? You can't go out tonight!"

"I'm sorry but did I miss something? There weren't any signs that said I couldn't leave the city. Besides, it will be fine. I'm a trainer see?" he said flashing Weaviles pokeball.

"Let me guess, you're not from around here, are you?" asked the boy with a scrupulous look on his face. "One of those arrogant twits from the trainer's school in Jubilife?"

"Jubilife? What? No!" Said Will feeling his temper flare a little. "Look My name is Will. I just got off a ferry from the Kanto region. This is my first time in Sinnoh." The young man's face softened.

"Oh! Well that explains everything then! My gosh! I'm sorry I guess I should explain why I stopped you. See you can't leave the city tonight because it's a new moon." He pointed toward a darkened disk in the sky.

"Annnnnd?" said Will impatiently.

"And, if you leave the city on the night of the new moon, you'll find yourself trapped inside a never-ending nightmare at the hands of Darkrai!" Said the boy, his hands thrown out to his sides in disbelief.

"Who's Darkrai?"

"Unbelievable. Look come with me and I will explain everything." More by force Will found himself being led back into the city, coming to stop in front of the door to a small house near the bridge. "Come on in! There's some left-over potato soup if you are hungry. I've also got all sorts of treats for a pokemon if your partner is hungry."

"Oh wow, really? Well yes I uhm. Thank you that would be swell!" The excitement of beginning the journey had pressed the thought of food out of Will's mind, but the mentioning of soup had awakened his stomach and he happily accepted the offer.

"I'm Artemis by the way. Artemis Eldritch. Pleasure to make your acquaintance! So, what brings a trainer here all the way from Kanto?"

"Johto actually," said Will between large spoonfull of soup, "and I'm here to further my training as an ice type specialist."

"Is that right? Well then if I had to guess you're on your way to Snowpoint then?"

"That's right. I would have been on my way now had you not stopped me."

"Oh that, well look here Will I only did that for your own safety. Trust me, this isn't the type of night you want to be out and about on."

"Because of… What did you call it? Dark something."

"Its name is Darkrai," said Artemis with a grave look on his face, "It's a Mythical Pokemon that resides here in the Sinnoh region."

"Wait a Mythic?" said Will nearly spitting his soup out in the process. He had heard of other mythical Pokemon before, like the time traveler Celbi from Johto, or the ever-elusive Mew of Kanto. "Why wouldn't I want to meet a Mythical Pokemon?"

"Well this one is not exactly the kindest creature on the face of the planet. See, Darkrai has the ability to trap people in nightmares. Nobody is quite sure why it does it, but once you're in its not very easy to get back out. Some have stayed locked in their dreams until they just waste away and die. Almost happened to me when I was a kid. Luckily, my dad and this trainer managed to make it all the way to a hidden place off the coast called Full Moon Island. It's the home of another Mythical Pokemon called Cresselia, who is kind of the opposite of Darkai. She has the power to dispel Nightmares and even give people good dreams. Her feathers alone are capable of getting the bad dreams to go away, and that's just what that trainer and my dad found." Artemis opened the drawer of a nearby desk, retrieving a well-worn and weakly glimmering plume.

"They brought this to me, and it snapped me right out of my nightmare. Ever since that day, I have kind of devoted myself to studying the two. I like to call them the Lunar Duo, since both seem to move around based on the current phases of the moon. As I am sure you've already guessed, Darkai appears on nights when the new moon is out, and the night sky is at its darkest. Cresselia on the other hand appears during the full moon, when the sky is the brightest. Normally, only one or two people a year end up getting caught in Darkrai's Nightmares. But this year has been different. Seven people have already been hospitalized, and all of them are suffering the same symptoms of unending sleep. I have kept hoping that Cresselia would show up and fix things but…" Artemis fell quiet, staring down at the floor. "I'm sorry, I know we don't know each other very well, and here I am dumping all this information onto you."

"No don't be sorry! Geeze you probably just saved me from wasting my whole journey!" said Will. He found that he had a deep appreciation for this 'Artemis'. "See, I have been waiting nearly ten years to finally go out on my own journey. Wouldn't be much of an adventure if I wound up stuck in some nightmare, right?"

"Wait. You've never been on a journey? But you're like what almost seventeen?"

"It's a long story, probably would bore you," said Will going back to his bowl of soup, "anyhow, why do you think Cresselia hasn't come back yet? If it's the only one that can stop the nightmares, then you'd think it would show up after so many people have been trapped."

"A good question," said Artemis, dashing over toward a messy bookshelf, "But I think that I have the answer! Or at least an idea. See about six years ago, Darkrai was sighted in a region other than Sinnoh. In fact, it appeared all the way in Unova. Up until that point we hadn't had any cases of nightmares for quite a few years which leads me to believe that it must have been traveling. Sadly, though, its reappearance was a death sentence for this little girl. Her father tried his best to save her but. He had to come all the way to Sinnoh to hunt for Cresselia, and by the time he had finally found one of her feathers and returned home. Well, it was too late. His daughter was already gone." Will felt his stomach tighten.

"Wow… I've never heard of a Pokemon doing something so malicious before."

"A lot of researchers in the field are quite stumped by its behavior. Some think that Darkrais nightmares are just a form of self-defense that have devastating consequences. Others believe that it has more sinister motives behind its actions. I'm not sure what to believe. That's why I study it. I want to understand."

"Is there anything that we can do to help?" asked Will. His grandfather had warned him that adventure would spring up in the oddest of ways, and that he should never turn a blind eye to opportunity.

"Hmmm. Well as of right now, we need one of two things to happen. First, we could find a way to get Cresselia to come back from wherever it is she went. That however, is like hunting for a shiny. No what we need is something that puts the odds a little more in our favor and I think I might have an idea. The only problem is that… Well."

"Well what!?" shouted Will. Even he was surprised at his own sudden desire to help in the matter. "Sorry, it's just. If there is something that I can do to help somebody that needs it. Well, I'll do whatever it takes."

"A brave one aren't you?" said Artemis with a bit of a smile. "Well alright then. We could try and find Full Moon island. It's the roosting place for Cresselia, and undoubtedly is overflowing with her energy. This feather of mine. It doesn't affect people that are sleeping anymore. But I think that is just because it's power dwindled over the years having been separated from Cresselia. If we could get it back to the island, then there's a chance that we might be able to restore its power to dispel nightmares. It's a bit of a long shot, but at the moment it's the best that we've got."

"Well that's all well and dandy, but how on earth are we going to find a hidden island?" Artemis smiled.

"Come with me, and I'll show you." Together to the two ventured back out into the city, traveling down deserted streets which had been vibrant with activity just an hour ago. Artemis led Will onto the docks, down to where smaller boats had been tethered up. He stopped at a rather old looking one that seemed as if it had seen better days.

"My old man left me his boat! It's the same one that he took with that trainer all those years ago when they were saving me from the nightmares. I figure, why not try and repeat those events? After all, if it worked for them why wouldn't it work for us?"

"Fair enough," said Will stepping onto the boat. He couldn't see any major flaws with the plan, other than the possibility of sinking. Artemis on the other hand was quick to jump into the driver's seat, shoving off from the dock and starting the boat up with surprising ease.

"Here, take this to the front and hold it out in front of you when I say," said Artemis handing over the Lunar wing. He pulled the boat away from the harbor and before long, the two were out on the open ocean. The sea had never scared Will before, but then again he had never been at its mercy. While the ferry had placed him high up above the water, this boat was nearly level with the waves and at times he felt certain that they were going to capsize. Quietly he thought of how lucky Weavile was getting to stay in its pokeball as a spray of freezing brine caught him full in the face.

"Alright, now from the story that my dad told me, he and that trainer headed towards the north, past Iron Island. After that, he followed that trainer's intuition more than anything else. I think that the odds are better in our favor this time around though. Full speed ahead!" The engine roared and the boat surged forward. Wind grasped and clawed at Will every chance it had, and he thanked his Grandfather for the warm coat he had provided to him. A dark mass came into view on the left of their horizon, which Artemis confirmed to be Iron Island. He steered them farther towards the north, and as the shape sank into the distance so too did the lights of Canalve City. It was cloudy out, and without the light of the moon the night was dark as could be. Every now and then, Artemis would slow the boat down while Will would hold the feather up. Three times they tried this, hoping for a response, and three times they failed.

"I'm not sure this is going to work Artemis." Said Will, growing more skeptic by the minute.

"Hang on, I'm not giving up just yet. Lunatone I need your help!" there was a flash as Artemis called upon a Pokemon Will had never seen before. Its body was cream colored and shaped like a crescent moon. At its center, there was a beak like mouth that extended outward, and a pair of red eyes glinted through the night. "See, Lunatone is both a rock type and a psychic type. But even more important than that, it has ties to the moon! Its power ebbs and flows with the lunar cycles. Tonight is a new moon, which means Lunatone is at its weakest. However, that very sensitivity to lunar activity just might be able to help guide us toward the island! Here show him the lunar wing." Will held the feather up to Lunatone whose eyes shone brightly and became fixated on the item. "Good job Lunatone, now find us that island!"

The moon Pokemon twisted its body round so that it laid flat in the air, and spun around like a top for a few seconds. Then slowly but surely it began to slow, until finally its beak pointed in a solid direction.

"Artemis, I think it wants you to go west!" The two were off again, guided by Lunatone's sensitivity. A few times they had to stop and repeat the process, but they both could feel that with every passing minute that they were getting closer. The boat came to a halt as Lunatone lost the scent, and began analyzing the plume once more.

"I can feel it Will. This time, were going to make it!" Will shook his head in agreement, but then found himself transfixed on a peculiar sight. A single bright blue eye was peering at them from out over the water. It gleamed brightly in the darkness that surrounded it.

"Hey… Artemis do you see that?" asked Will pointing toward the peculiarity.

"Huh? What I don't see…" Even in the dark Will could see the color drain from Artemis's face. He was transfixed upon the eye, and whispered quietly as if almost to himself.

"Darkrai…It's watching us." Without waiting Artemis gassed the boat forward, following the new point that Lunatone continued to hold. Will felt his heart race with fear. Snaking its way over the waves was the silhouette of the nightmare Pokemon, its one eye still locked upon the boat.

"We can't let it get to close! If it does it will put us all to sleep!" Shouted Artemis, "See if you can slow him down!"

"Weavile get ready!" Shouted Will as he called out his partner. The tiny ice type seemed to recognize its foe almost immediately and growled in response.

 _"Man that thing is fast"_ thought Will as he studied the shapeless terror that pursued them. Artemis was right, it was steadily gaining.

"Alright well then we'll match him speed for speed! Weavile use ice shard!" The frozen bolts were formed in a flash, and gone in the next flying outward over the water towards the mythic Pokemon. Much to Will's horror though, not a single one landed a hit. Instead the eye of their pursuer zigged this way and that like a lightning bolt, dodging the shards.

"No way, I've never seen anything move that fast before!"

"Will look!" yelled Artemis, pointing toward the lunar wing which had begun to slightly shimmer. "We're almost there! We just need a little more time! Keep trying!"

"Ice shard double time!" Weavile sent another flurry towards its foe, still failing to land a blow. Instead a miasma of dark energy seemed to be forming beneath that bright eye, covered in a violet hue. Then without warning this energy burst forth in a steady stream aimed right towards the boat.

"Lunatone quick use protect!" The moon Pokemon spun upright before generating a large green barrier around the boat, managing to block the blast."

"Weavile quick aim for the center of that attack! Ice shard!" Weavile fired and Will let out a triumphant roar as he saw the eye fall back several paces with the boat.

"Will Look! Dead ahead! I think I see it! Fullmoon Island!" Will glanced forward to see it. A tiny outcropping of land in the middle of the sea. The feather was glowing even brighter now, this had to be it! Then a dreadful cry rang out above them. Will looked up to find that blue eye staring down at them. A large sphere of dark energy then came raining down, striking Weavile and causing the Pokemon to fall to the floor fast asleep.

"WEAVILE!"

"Alright I have had just about enough of you!" Yelled Artemis, pulling off the gas. Darkrai flew ahead as the boat slowed, having not been ready for this unexpected move. "Gotcha now, Lunatone use Moonblast!" The lunar Pokemons body became cloaked in a rosy hue while a large orb or pink energy formed on its beak. Then much like a cannon it blasted this attack forward, catching Darkrai fully in the face. The pokemon let out a howl of pain before vanishing into the Darkness.

"Alright, that should buy us just enough time to get the wing all charged up!" smiled Artemis. Carefully he pulled the boat up to the island. Will returned Weavile to its pokeball, panic building in his chest.

"Weavile he. Fell asleep does that mean that?" Artemis smiled.

"Lucky for us, Pokemon physiology reacts differently to Darkrai's powers. Weavile will be asleep for now, but he will wake up on his own. You could even fix him with a quick trip to a Pokemon center should the need arise. I still don't understand why that's the case but hey, win where you can right?" The island consisted of nothing more than a small hill, whose summit was crowned by a tiny grove. Together they entered the trees, coming upon a small clearing where a crescent shaped pond stood out against the darkness.

"Will, hand me the Lunar Wing. I've got an idea." Artemis took the plume and made his way toward the center of the crescent shape. Carefully, he placed the feather into the water, then waited. Sure enough, the feather began to glow brighter and brighter, until the entire grove was lit up by a pillar of light that shot up high into the sky. That's when Will saw it again. That bright blue eye, staring down at him. But this time he could see more. The Pokemon's body was like that of a shadow. A specter wrapped in a ragged black cloak. A series of sharp red spines sprang up around its neck and head where a ghostly plume of greyish fog seemed to billow back and forth. Beneath this was its single eye which watched unblinking. It was haunting and yet, mystifying. What came next was mostly a blur. Will heard Artemis shouting something, and noticed a sparkling shape out of the corner of his left eye. Then everything went black.

He could hear it. A voice. It was calling out to him. It was familiar.

"Hello William."

"Mama?" He couldn't believe it. It was her, down to the last detail. From her bright blonde hair to her powdery blue eyes. "Mama, what are you doing here? This place, this isn't where you should be." It was dark all around them, and Will could feel his heart starting to beat faster and faster. The sound it made seemed to reverberate throughout the air.

"You know why I am here William."

"What? Me? But I haven't seen you since…"

"You left me here William. You left me here all alone. For ten years you left me waiting in the cold and the dark. Left me so that I would die."

"Mama, that's not true! You know that isn't true! I wouldn't have left you I. I wanted to come look for you but father said it was too dangerous! That I was too young!" It wasn't right though. Will knew that no matter what he said, he would never be able to prove her wrong. Even now, the specter that stood over him was changing. Her face was turning blue, as frost ate away at her clothes and skin.

"All alone. After everything that I did for you. I loved you with all my heart William. Why did you leave me?"

"Grandpa looked for you for months Mama. He turned Mt. Silver upside down trying to find you. I wanted to go with him, but I wasn't old enough. I wasn't strong enough."

"You wanted me out of your way." said his mother. Her face was beginning to decay, shriveling so that it looked like those frozen mummies he had seen as a kid in the Pewter museum. "Out of the way so that you could be gym leader once Papa is gone. You never really loved me at all did you."

"But I did Mama! I did love you! I've never stopped loving!"

"Then why William. Why did you leave me here to rot?" He couldn't answer. He didn't know what to say. He was fighting to hold back the tears in his eyes. This wasn't right. He had something to do, something important. But his head had become foggy. All he could think about was her, buried under the snow, lost and alone.

"Now that's quite enough of that William. Stand up, that is not your mother." Will looked up to see his grandfather standing next to him.

"Grandpa? What are you… how did you get here?"

"You called me here William, you and your little friend. I must thank you. Had it not been for you two I might not have ever been able to return to Sinnoh."

"Return?" His grandfather held up his hand for silence though, and advanced on the frozen corpse that still loomed before them.

"Your mother would never accuse you of doing such terrible things. I've seen your real dreams, and I know very well that you loved her. This impostor is nothing more than a figment of your nightmares. Do not let her haunt you my boy." As he spoke Will noticed that his Grandfathers shape was changing. He was transforming into something else. At the same time a bright light seemed to be emanating from his body, causing the darkness and his mother to fade away. He could hear someone else now talking with him. They were asking him a question.

"Grandpa wait where are you going?" His grandfather had morphed at this point into a beautiful swan like creature, whose head was adorned with radiant crescent ornaments. Its feathers were colored creamy yellow and blues, and it seemed to be engulfed in a halo of pink light. The creature made an otherworldly sound as it faded into the growling light.

The next thing Will knew, he was lying on a bed. Weavile was sitting on top of his chest looking worriedly at its trainer, while two strangers stood off to the right. A girl in a red overcoat with long and dark hair, and an elderly man with a thick white beard and stern face.

"What? Where am I? Who are you people?" Will sat up and looked around. There were odd machines strewn about the room, as well as a great number of desks covered in books.

"Relax Will, everything is going to be alright!" said Artemis, emerging from behind the older man's broad posture, "I'm just glad to see that you made it back to the mainland in one piece! You've been asleep here, and Weaviles been keeping a watch over you."

"But how did I get here? and where exactly is here?" This time it was the elderly man who spoke.

"All in good time my boy. I'm sure you have many questions. I would as well after such an adventure. But we will get to that later. As for where you are, this is my laboratory where I conduct research on Pokemon evolution. You may call me Professor Rowan."

"Rowan? Then, I must be in Sandgem town! But that doesn't make any sense! How on earth did I get here?"

"It's kind of complicated Will, even we don't really know," said Artemis while scratching the back of his head. "See, we managed to reach Fullmoon island, and when we put the feather into the pond it created a huge beacon. Then I saw Darkrai use its dark void attack on you which caused you to pass out. I'm pretty sure it was about to do the same thing to me but Cresselia came shooting down from out of the sky like a comet and drove him off. Then the whole grove just filled with blinding light. When it passed, you and Cresselia were both gone. I wasn't sure what to do, but then I had an image just pop into my head. Almost like a vision of sorts. I recognized Lake Verity, so I got back into the boat and went home."

"Then he proceeded to wake me with his incessant calling on the telephone at three in the morning," growled professor Rowan. "He explained to me the situation, so my assistant Dawn and I went to the lake to check things out and sure enough there you were passed out in the grass."

"Seems like Cresselia helped get rid of your nightmare, but wanted you to sleep for a little while longer. I only made it to Sandgem town earlier this morning."

"So, I've been asleep this whole time?"

"That's right! But you will be happy to know that our work paid off! All of the people in the hospital woke up this morning! Cresselia must have paid them a visit too! Now everything is back to normal!" Artemis danced around the lab as he said this, "My report on the Lunar duo is just going to blow away the scientific community when they hear about all of this!" Will sat up feeling incredibly hungry.

"Say, there wouldn't happen to be any place to eat around here is there?"

"Oho! Nothing to worry about, one of my lab assistants will go grab us something to eat. For now, I want both of you together, give me the full report on what it is that took place," said the professor while pulling up a chair.

For the next hour, Will and Artemis explained their bizarre adventure, how they had found the island, and the attack from Darkrai. Will omitted any mentions of what it exactly was that he had seen when it came time to talk about his dreams, instead saying that it had all become rather foggy. By the late afternoon, the two friends were set and ready to begin making their way towards Jubilife city, the next stop on the way to Snowpoint. Professor Rowan had provided Will with a map of the region, and had even marked out a faster route. Artemis had decided that he was quite fond of the idea of traveling again, and had decided to stick with Will on his journey. Will figured having a companion on the road wouldn't be a problem, and found himself enjoying more and more Artemis's company. Besides that, having a native of the region traveling with him might come in handy.

"Before you go William, I noticed that you don't seem to have a Pokedex with you. I had heard from Oak that Professor Elm was supposed to give you one."

"Really? Oh well he never did," said Will with a laugh.

"Not a problem, I have a few spares right here that you can pick from. After all, it is an indispensable tool for trainers. I'll just need to register your trainer card along with it."

"Trainers card?" Rowan glowered at the young man.

"Your grandfather never took you to register your trainer ID card?"

"Oh well uhm. No sir you see. This is my first time going on a journey so I guess I have never really needed one."

"I see," said Rowan, his face softening a tad. "Very well then, come over here and we will get you all registered!" Will chose a dark blue Pokedex, liking how it matched with his jacket. It was a the Sinnoh model whose design reminded him of a handheld gaming device from his childhood. Professor Rowan than guided Will over to another computer which had him enter information for his ID.

"Let's see. Home town? Mahogany. Region? Johto. Full name?" He paused for a moment, then smiled.

"William J. Willow." With that the trainers card was complete, and he received both a physical copy and a digital one which was synced to his Pokedex.

"Alright then young William, it looks like you are all set and ready to go!"


	8. VIII: Eterna

II: Eterna

Will took in a deep breath, marveling at the many aromas that were woven within the air. Since they had left Sandgem, he had insisted that they only make stops when necessary. Because of this, they had cruised right on through Jubilife city, even though Artemis had tried to talk him into battling with some of the students at the trainer's school. Will on the other hand had never enjoyed the atmosphere of large cities and was happy to put the place behind them. But when they had come to the summit of the flower laden hill that marked Floaroma, even he couldn't resist staying for a while. The town had a calm atmosphere about it that oozed relaxation, and the two trainers had spent much of the day visiting many different vendors selling different species of potted flowers.

"See? Didn't I tell you that this place would be worth it?" said Artemis, leaning up against the side of the Pokemon center, his arms crossed behind his head. "I'm telling you, I could retire and spend the rest of my days living here."

"I have to admit, you were right. This place is amazing! And those Gracidea flowers!? I have never smelt something that good from a plant before! I almost wanted to eat it!"

"You always want to eat Will, doesn't take long to figure that out," laughed Artemis. Normally Will would have at least offered up a defense, but he felt so relaxed that he just smiled.

"Yeah your probably right!"

"Well if you like those than we should go and check out the Floaroma meadow! It's just a little north of town, besides there's a guy who runs a shop there that I wanted to visit." Artemis led Will through a small path that wound its way through a sea of flowers. Steadily the path led them up even higher, and eventually they gained a vantage point so that Will could see the entirety of the small town.

"I can't believe that more people don't actually live here. The town is so tiny!"

"Part of its due to preservation. Nobody wants to risk destroying the ecosystem of the flowers here, so the towns never grown beyond what it needs to be. Travelers come and go all the time, making it a popular tourist spot but the only ones that stay are florists. They work hard to keep Floaroma town just the way it is." The path led them through a small line of trees, revealing an even larger meadow than the one that the town itself was built in. Flowers covered virtually every inch of the ground, save for one lone tree whose leaves were oddly colored a rich gold. Near this tree was a stand bearing many jars filled with a golden liquid.

"Hello boys! Names Apis, anything I can do for you today?"

"Hi Apis! You wouldn't happen to remember me, would you? It's been some time since we last met." The man gave Artemis a quick scan.

"Hmmm, you definitely look familiar. Wait! I know! You're the boy with the Lunatone right? Artemis, I think it was?"

"Your absolutely right! How do you manage to do that? I bet you see hundreds of people every week!"

"A good salesman always invests in his customers no matter how many he has!" Laughed Apis, "and who might this be?"

"Oh this is my friend Will. He's here all the way from the Johto region! Figured I would treat him to some of Floaroma's famous honey!"

"Well you've come to the right place! Johto eh? Welcome to Sinnoh! Here this one is on the house!" said Apis handing Will a small jar of honey.

"Oh wow, thanks! But you don't have to."

"Nonsense!" said Apis waving his hand back and forth, "it's my pleasure! really if you want to thank anybody, thank Shaymin!"

"Shaymin?" asked Will confused.

"Ah yes, figures you wouldn't know about him. Shaymin's a mythical pokemon that lives somewhere here in good old Sinnoh. Most refer to it simply as the gratitude pokemon."

"See Will, Shaymin is the reason that Floaroma town exits here!" Said Artemis who was busy gathering a large collection of honey jars for purchasing.

"Wait, it made the town?"

"Well In a roundabout sort of manner yes. See a long time ago, the hill that Floaroma sits on used to be a desolate patch of land. People tried their best to try and spruce the place up, but alas nothing grew save a lonely dried up berry bush. But that all changed one fateful day. A young woman was passing through from Eterna when her partner Leafeon was poisoned by the bug types that infest the nearby forest. She sought out help, but found that she was quite alone with nothing before her but the barren landscape. This young lady however was an expert on flora and recognized that the shriveled shrub held Pecha berries, powerful antidotes to even the strongest of poisons. Using those precious few berries, she saved her Pokemon and together they offered up their thanks for the blessing nature had provided them. In that instant, the entire hill erupted into a grassy wonderland full of flowers. High above the hill she saw a small green and white Pokemon with a flower on its neck flying overhead. See Shaymin has the power to create beautiful flower patches in an instant! But only does so when it witnesses an expression of true gratitude."

"Wow, that's some story" said Will, thinking that the whole thing sounded a bit far-fetched.

"That's why I spend every day working hard to make the sweetest and best tasting honey in the world! It's my way to continue expressing gratitude for what Shaymin did. After all, if it wasn't for him, my great great grandmother and her Leafeon might not have settled the area, and I wouldn't live in the most beautiful place in all of Sinnoh!"

"And I wouldn't be able to buy all this delicious honey!" chimed in Artemis, "I'll take ten if that's alright with you Apis,"

"Ten?! By gosh kids what are you planning with all that honey? Catch a Snorlax?"

"Were on our way to Snowpoint, so were going to need a pretty big stash to last us on the road!"

"Snowpoint eh? Then I take it you two plan on passing through the Eterna forest?"

"That's right, why is something wrong?" asked Will noticing the worried look on Apis's face.

"Well. Now that you mention it yes. The forest has been dangerous as of late and not just because of the bugs. No one knows why but, the number of ghost type sighting has increased tenfold, and a thick fog has settled in over the northern portion of the forest. Folks that go wandering in find themselves back where they started, or on the completely opposite end of the forest! If you two are planning to tackle the wood, it might be smart to wait until tomorrow morning, that way you get a full days' worth of sunlight to make it through."

"Thanks for the warning Apis!" smiled Artemis as the two trainers packed away their honey, "we'll be sure to wait for tomorrow then!"

The two thanked the honey salesmen and made their way back to the Pokemon center. Will let Weavile lick clean the honey jar Apis had given him while Artemis talked to the receptionist about getting rooms for the night.

"Bad news, looks like they are all full. Seems nobody wants to pass through Eterna with the state it's currently in. We might have to camp out for the night." Will looked towards the eastern gate of the town.

"Or… or we could just try and make it through tonight."

"Wait what?!"

"Oh come on Artemis, your telling me that your curiosity isn't intrigued by this at all? I mean don't you want to know what's causing all of this?" Artemis shifted his feet back and forth uncomfortably.

"Don't get me wrong I mean. Alright yes I'm curious too but. Well if it's dangerous."

"Danger didn't stop you from taking on a mythical Pokemon! Come on if we can handle Darkrai than this should be a breeze!"

"Yes but I have spent my whole life studying Darkrai! I was prepared for that situation. Ghost types though Artemis? This one is wild card! Who knows what could happen!"

"That just means it will be that much more fun! Listen, my grandfather always said that adventure will pop up at the most unexpected of times and that you should always say yes when it does! I mean, he's in his late sixties so obviously, it worked out well enough for him!" chimed Will, forcing himself to push away a sudden mental image of his mother. Artemis seemed to think this over for a few minutes before giving Will a sly smile.

"Alright then you've sold me on it. Follow me, the forest is just a few miles after we cross the river east of town."

The two boys ventured out into the night, hearts racing from both excitement and fear. Artemis knew the way. It took them about an hour to reach the bridge, and another to reach the forests edge. Will could begin to see the long shadows of the tree's reaching up toward the starry sky.

"So what is our plan here exactly Will? Are we just going to charge head first into the forest or what?" Will thought about it for a moment

"Well, he said that fog has obscured the northern part of the woods. Sounds to me like someone is trying to hide something important. Let's start by finding the fog first." Together they followed the path into the woods, unaware that a third party was following closely behind.

Williams thirst for adventure quickly turned to aggravation however, when they failed to find any signs of fog. Deeper and deeper they plunged into the ancient wood, but their surroundings failed to produce any foreboding omens. They were passing through a small clearing free of trees, William having just about to give up hope, when Artemis grew curiously still,

"Is it just me, or did it get a lot colder just now?" Artemis wasn't wrong. The two trainers could see their breath in the night air. The tall trees of Eterna then seemed to bend, blocking out most view of the sky, blanketing the quiet wood in an almost unnatural darkness.

"Say, we're still following the forest path, aren't we?" asked Will, noticing that the well-worn trail that they had been relying on for the past hour seemed to have vanished.

"That's it, remind me never to listen to another one of your stupid ideas ever again," growled Artemis whose began to comb the forest floor, looking for any trace of the trail.

"Now come on, no need to panic, look we've already been in the forest for what an hour? Maybe even longer than that and nothing bad has happened to us. We've just gotten ourselves a little lost it's no big deal!" Though Will tried to reassure his friend, he couldn't help but feel a little fear himself. They had been very careful in following the road just to be on the safe side of things. It made no sense that they had now just suddenly lost it. "Come on, I think that it's this way." Of course, Will had no idea if he was right, but it felt better to be moving than standing still.

They hadn't seen a single wild Pokemon during their venture either which Will had found comforting at first. Now however it was maddening, for their absence had generated the inescapable feeling that something was stalking them. As they pressed further and further into the forest, their surroundings became darker and the trees appeared more and more menacingly. Suddenly a rush of chilled air passed over the two, rattling through the branches overhead it sounded like the great breath of an unknown monstrosity.

"Will, I don't think that's the right way. Maybe we should turn around?" But Will didn't hear his friend, instead his eyes had become transfixed on a mass that was steadily creeping towards the two. Fog, thick and unruly, was closing in around them. At the same time, strange and unnatural sounds began to emanate from within.

"Artemis, you're seeing this right? This isn't all just some joke playing out in my imagination?" As he said this Will took note of ghoulish lights dancing within the fog, some of which gave the impression that they were watching.

"We should have just listened to Apis!" said Artemis, drawing out Lunatone's pokeball, "Will we might be in for a bit of fight!" Will followed suit and called out Weavile. Another strange gale passed over the two as the lights swirled faster and faster.

"What are we aiming for?!" said Will through gritted teeth as he tried to pick out a target.

"Anywhere just attack anywhere!" responded Artemis who had given up on trying to hide his fear, "Lunatone psybeam!" The moon Pokemon fired of a rainbow-like beam from its eyes into the mist but the lights simply danced out of the way. Will swore that as they did, he could hear laughter behind the veil.

"Oh geeze! What are we supposed to do now!"

"Hey! LISTEN!" thundered a voice from above. Will looked up just in time to see Apis jump down from out of a tree. At the same time a massive black and yellow Pokemon that looked to be wearing a ballroom gown swept down by his side. "Alright Vespiquen, use Defog!" The bee Pokemons wings became wrapped in a blue light as it beat them furiously back and forth. In turn bright crescents of wind swept into the fog, causing it to recoil backwards. "Alright you two follow me and keep close!" Together, the trio charged into the opening created by Vespiquen, even as the fog closed back in on the gap they had made. They were running so fast that the whole forest had become nothing more than a blur, Will had no idea how Apis knew where it was that he was going. Soon enough they came to rest in a small clearing where a large moss covered rock sat quietly in the grass. Will leaned against it as he gasped for more air.

"How… did …. You… find us?"

"I've been following you two idiots since you first left Floroama town! What on earth were thinking! I tell you that the forest is a dangerous place and you decide that the best time to cross through it is in the middle of the night?!"

"His idea, all his," said Artemis pointing at Will.

"Wait, so you followed us through the forest? But how?"

"I've lived in this area my entire life. Vespiquen and I combine the nectar that we collect from the flowers in Floaroma town with berries that we harvest here in the forest to make special types of honey and jam. As such, I know the layout of the land like the back of my hand," said Apis with evident pride.

"So then, you must have some idea what's really going on here in the forest!" asked Will with a bit of realization. "You can take us to the source!"

"Source?"

"Come on! The way that fog came after us! This isn't just something that's happening by chance! There's something going on in the deeper part of these woods and you're the only one who can lead us there!"

"You don't want to go there trust me." Will couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Aha! So, then you do know where this is all coming from!"

"I don't know for certain it's more of an idea that's all," said Apis as he began inspecting the grove. Clearly he was fearful that the fog might find them again. "Look deep in the wood is an abandoned place known as the Old Chateau. It's been vacant for as long as I can remember, and it has always been the sight of many ghost type Pokemon. But a few weeks ago, the ghosts around the house became incredibly hostile, so much that trainers and passersby alike just left it well alone. Then the fog business started up. During the day, it's not so bad. The fog recedes from everywhere else in the forest except for where that house stands. But at night it grows, reaching out further and further. Something inside I think is causing all of this, but it's too dangerous to go there."

"But Apis, we can help! Artemis and I were both here! If the three of us were to go in together-" but Apis just shook his head.

"No, I am not risking something happening to two young men. I have already spoken with the gym leader of Eterna City, she has agreed with me that we must keep travelers out of the house's way until Fantina returns from her business in Kalos."

"Fantina? Who is that?"

"She is the gym leader of Hearthome city," said Artemis who was still clearly shaken up by the incident with the fog, "She is an expert on ghost types."

"But who knows how long that could take!" shouted Will, "We are here right now, why don't WE try and fix things!"

"Listen here Will," said Apis, growing fed up with the boy's behavior, "Ghost type Pokemon are not something to be trifled with. Mess with them and you're asking for an early trip to the grave."

"Fine, well if you won't help us find the house, can you at least help lead us out of the forest?" Apis looked around a second time, considering the question more to himself than the two trainers.

"Hmm. It would be faster to take them towards the city. We've already managed to make it this far and as long we don't stray too far north… Alright then, but we need to be quick. Stay close!" Will and Artemis returned their Pokemon before following Apis back into the closely grown trees. It was clear that they were off the usual path, and several times Apis had to double back after spotting some landmark that remained hidden to the eyes of the trainers. After what seemed an eternity of wandering lost in the dark though, the trees started to thin apart and soon a dirt path revealed itself winding through the wood.

"Ahh here we are! Follow this trail eastward and you two should be just fine." Artemis on the other hand simply pointed behind the wise honey master, fear brimming in his face.

"It's back!" Sure, enough billowing outward to greet them was the fog from before, though this time it moved with a speed entirely unnatural.

"Vespiquen Defog!" Once again the bee Pokemon unleashed bright waves of light into the vaporous air, though this time as the fog parted ways a series of tiny ruffled orbs appeared before them. Each bore a pair of glowing violet eyes.

"Those are wild Misdrevous look out!" Even as Artemis spoke the ghost Pokemon unleashed a flurry of shadowy blobs toward them. "Lunatone use protect!" Artemis's partner appeared in a flash, putting up a barrier to block the assault.

"Now quick Vespiquen knock them out with air slash!" The hive Pokemon rose into the air before spinning its body swiftly. As it did, its wings created a sharp blade of air that scattered the ghost pokemon. Will was about to call out Weavile to help fend off the attackers when he saw a dull glow beyond the wall of fog. He recognized it, the light of a window.

"Will what are you doing!?" Shouted Artemis but he was too late. Will had bucked the group and was now sprinting towards the faint glow. He knew they would be mad but that didn't matter. Something clearly had upset these wild Pokemon, he couldn't just leave them like this. He was going to do something to help. As soon as he was engulfed in the fog, the sounds of the battling behind him vanished. Everything became deathly silent but still he could see the light emanating from behind a pained glass window which was getting closer and closer.

Then all at once the fog parted, and Will found himself staring up at the entrance to a large, ruined manor.

"So this is the Old Chateau. Weavile, I'm going to need your help with this one." He released his partner and together they made their way slowly up to the manors steps. As they did another howl of wind passed over the trees, and Will noticed that with it went several more ghost Pokemon which seemed to be heading in the direction that he had come from.

"Probably after Artemis and Apis if I had to guess. Alright then, let's see what these spooks are hiding. Lead the way Weavile!"


	9. IX: Something Unknown

Chp 3: Something Unknown

The interior of the manor began with a large foyer room. The wooden floor was covered in a thick layer of dust, with some spots having given way to rot. Two staircases stood on the left and right leading up to a second floor, while an open archway lay directly before the two explorers. To the left of this entry was a large Pokemon statue that reminded Will of a Rhydon, though its eyes seemed to glare menacingly down upon him. Weavile's body was tense, and it turned its head this way and that listening for the slightest sound. Will did the same, but found that the interior of the house was inexplicably quiet.

"Let's check out the bottom floor first," Will said with a whisper. Together the two passed by the statue into the next room. It was a dimly lit dining area, containing the largest dinner table that Will had ever seen. Its wooden surface stretched from one end of the room far to the other, and was adorned with a dusty white cloth covered in stains, and candlesticks that stood burning on the tabletop.

"Well that's odd. Why would a ghost type need candlelight?" said Will walking over and picking up one of the beacons. In turn he heard a scuffling sound come from the other side of the table. Something was emerging from out of the darkness. But it wasn't the shape of a Pokemon that greeted them. Instead, it was an old balding man, dressed in the attire of a butler.

"Goodness me, guests! and at this hour? Please do forgive the state of things, we were not expecting to have any visitors."

"No way. This place, it's supposed to be abandoned! Who are you?"

"My how rude. Just met and already asking questions. Curiosity is not sinful dear boy, but one should always exercise caution." As he spoke the butlers body began to back away, though his legs did not seem to move. Weavile gave a low growl as the man's gaze shifted towards it. "I'm afraid that our... _Other_ guest _,_ does not wish for any company at the present. Forgive me but I have, shall we say very strict instructions, and must now send you on your way." As he said this, two dark orbs appeared on either side of him. One seemed to be surrounded in purplish flames, while the other sprouted spikes and two disembodied hands. They shared a single feature though, a manic grin and violet light dancing in their eyes. "Ghastly, Haunter, please show our guests to the door."

"Wait! We don't want to fight you! Just tell us what's upsetting all the ghost Pokemon!"

"Would that I could boy," frowned the Butler. Then his eyes too began to glow with the same eerie violet light. "Ghastly night shade, Haunter shadow punch!" A dark ray of energy burst forth from one while the others floating fist charged toward Weavile with great speed. Both attacks struck, knocking Weavile back a few steps, though his level and second nature as a dark type offered resistance to the attacks.

"Alright if it's a battle you're after we'll be happy to oblige! Weavile use night slash on ghastly!" Weavile leapt up onto the dining table, while the claws on its left hand elongated and turned a violent shade of purple.

"Shadow Ball both of you!" commanded the butler. Both ghosts began to form blobs of shadowy energy in front of them, but before they could finish Weavile was upon them, slashing outward with its claws. Will could see from the strike that they had landed a critical hit upon the wild Ghastly which faded away into the darkness of the room. Haunter then rose high toward the ceiling, preparing to fire off its next attack.

"Weavile above you! Intercept with ice shard!" The sharp clawed Pokemons eyes flashed upward as it took note of its prey. Just as Haunter's shadow ball was about to blast forward Weavile swiped its claws through the air, dozens of tiny ice bolts flying upward to strike the ghoul. The attack caused a fine layer of mist to engulf the room. The butlers voice rang out, seemingly coming in from everywhere at once.

"I had hoped that this would not escalate to such violence young master. Depart at once, or the consequences that follow shall be quite severe."

"We've come this far, haven't we? I think we might as well stick around and see just what it is you've got to hide." As the mist cleared off, it became apparent that the butler was gone. Haunter however revealed itself to be floating directly behind Weavile.

"If you insist. Haunter, hypnosis!"

"Dive to the left Weavile now!" Weavile barely escaped a series of pink rings radiating toward where it had been seconds ago. "Can't keep up with us can you?" grinned Will, "Now Icicle Crash!" Weavile jumped high, grasping hold of an ancient chandelier whilst flinging frozen spears toward the ghost type. Much like its partner before it, the Haunter fell, its body disappearing into the darkness. The butler however remained unseen having completely vanished from the room.

"I don't understand this. Ghost types are only called that because of their behavior, and even then, they are a Pokemon. But that guy, he can't be real, there's no such thing as a human ghost. I'll bet anything he is the one behind this." As if to prove Will wrong the sound of a child giggling rang brightly in his left ear.

"Hi mister!" It was a little girl, wearing a daisy yellow dress and a vivid red bow on her head. She seemed oddly bright in the darkness of the room.

"Uhm, hello?"

"I saw you playing with Jeeves just now. You're really good when it comes to battling aren't you?"

"Oh well thank you," stammered Will, "I'm sorry but who are you? How did you get in here?" But the girl did not answer him. Instead she stared back motionless with deep eyes.

"Hmm you might be just the one we need! Mister do you think you could help my friend? He is being forced to do some awful chores and I don't like it one bit!"

"Your friend?"

"Yes! He's upstairs right now, come on I'll show you the way!" The girl was gone so fast Will could have sworn that she just disappeared. "Over here silly!" she called out from the doorway. Will followed her back into the foyer and up the staircase to the second floor. There were two more rooms to the right and left but she ignored them, instead going straight ahead into a long hallway with five closed doors. She stopped in front of the one second from the left.

"My friends in here," She whispered with a sad face, "I wish we didn't have to do this, but that mean man won't let us play anymore. I want him to go away, but we're going to need to get my friend back first. It won't be easy though." Will felt his heart beat faster as he opened the door. It was a dark room; a lone light came from a television set whose screen flickered silent static.

"I don't see anyone in here," said Will looking down only to find that the girl was gone. Weavile approached the television set with its head cocked curiously. "What is it? Do you see something Weavile?" Will approached the box and became aware of a slight hum that emanated from the set. Staring into the static, he also thought for a moment that he had seen something else. A face staring back at him. Without warning the loud sound of crackling static filled the room causing Will to jump back.

"Jeeze! Stupid old TV!" He slapped the box which fell silent again before shaking back and forth as if it were going to explode. Then, a bright red shape phased out of the screen, taking on the form of a small lightning rod with violet eyes.

" _Is that a Pokemon_?" thought Will, reaching for his Pokedex. Before he could though, the creature attacked, blasting a fine line of electricity towards him. Before it struck Weavile intercepted, taking the full blast.

"Weavile! are you alright?" His partner swayed back and forth but recovered, giving him a curt nod. "Alright now it's our turn! Use Night Slash!"

"Wait don't hurt him!" cried the small girl who had appeared from behind the television, "it's not his fault! We need to free him!" Weavile had to jump out of the way as the small red Pokemon sent another jolt of electricity flying towards him.

"How are we supposed to do that?"

"We need to get him to the storage closet! Come on its this way!" The girl ran back out into the hall as the duo avoided yet another blast of electricity from the plasma like creature. They followed her back into the foyer, catching a glimpse of her long dark hair as she disappeared into the room on the left. "In here hurry!" Their attacker was in hot pursuit, this time spinning its body, throwing waves of purple wind which caused Will to stumble back, unnatural chills blanketing his body. Weavile let out an angry growl before lashing out with its ice shard attack. The phantom creature dove below the banister of the stairs to avoid the oncoming bolts.

"No please! Don't fight! You will need him to be strong!" cried the girl.

"Just do what she says Weavile!" Yelled William, He wasn't sure why, but some instinct in his gut kept screaming for him to trust the girl. Free for a few seconds they entered the room which was nothing more than a cluttered closet filled with discarded things. The little girl ran to the back, pulling the tarp off an old refrigerator.

"This should do the trick. That bad man may have forced Jeeves to break all our other toys, but he didn't know that we still had one of these!"

"You're not making any sense. Who is making you do this?" Before the girl could answer a lamp turned on, its bulb pulsing brighter and brighter whilst ringing loudly.

"We need to get him inside of here!" she said, opening the door of the refrigerator, "It's the only way to break that bad man's hold!" It was all very confusing though William didn't have time to think it through as a lamp burst into pieces, revealing the red Pokemon from before who was quick to attack with another gust of fell wind. Will dove behind a nearby dresser which shook from the attack.

"Weavile! See if you can knock it into the fridge using Nightslash!" The claw Pokemon dove out from underneath a small chair, its talons once again cloaked in a dark aura. The ghost turned to face Weavile, releasing waves of electrical rings. Weavile passed through these and with a mighty smack sent the Pokemon flying into the refrigerator which the girl quickly slammed shut.

"Good work mister! Now we just have to wait."

"Wait for what?" Will didn't need to wait long for an answer though, for no sooner had the door to the fridge snapped shut did the whole thing began to shake like the lamp from before. A purple aura overtook the frame of the device which itself had turned a bright shade of red. Before long it sprouted two large lightning bolt shaped arms, a pointed horn, and a pair of eyes above either door. Will prepared for it to strike again, but instead the Pokemon began to dance around.

"Rotom your all better now!" cried the girl wrapping her tiny arms about the fridge which, much to Williams surprise smiled and hugged her back. "Mister this is my best friend Rotom! We used to always play pranks together on Jeeves and visitors, but then a very bad man came to the mansion. He brought a strange toy of his own that caused Rotom and all my other friends to get very angry. They even started chasing away all the trainers that used to come visiting."

"A toy?" asked William still feeling confused, "What kind of toy?"

"A puzzle toy mister. It's in the middle bedroom right now. I'm not allowed but you can go inside! The only problem with that though is that the door is locked and only Jeeves has the key."

"You mean the butler? I already beat him, didn't I?

"Yes but you'll have to do it again mister. If you can beat him one more time, then Jeeves might be able to help us. But be careful. Jeeves didn't try his hardest the first time he just wanted to scare you away. Now the bad man will make him be serious, so I want you to take my friend with you. Rotom is strong! and I changed him to better match you! I can tell, you're all cold inside so you will like him the way he is now!" The girl rummaged through a nearby box, tossing over a blue and yellow pokeball to William.

"This is a quick ball. You… want me to capture your friend?" The girl nodded, though Will could tell that this fact saddened her. He then turned his attention to the fridge Pokemon, finally managing to scan it with the pokedex. "Let's see, Rotom the plasma Pokemon…. So it can change types by possessing different machines? Then that means this form is."

"Rotoms frost form," said the little girl.

"An ice type, well what do you know," Smiled William, "I'd be honored to take Rotom with me." Will tossed the pokeball high into the air. There was a bright flash as it absorbed Rotom into its core before falling to the ground closed. The Pokemon within didn't even struggle to break lose, causing the ball to seal shut almost instantly.

"Ok, that's one friend saved and one to go!" said the small girl who was off in a flash. Will also returned Weavile to his pokeball before following back into the hall of doors. The girl stood pointing toward the door second from the right this time, stopping Will before he entered. "I can't go in there with you this time. Just be careful mister, Jeeves can be scary when he is mad."

"I beat him once; I'll beat him again. By the way, I've been so caught up all this madness that I never had the chance to ask. What's your name?"

"Abigale," said the girl with a curtsy.

"Well then Abigale it's been nice meeting you. Don't worry, we'll get this mess all sorted out I promise," said Will while opening the door.

"Well if you don't, you can always stay with us here forever and ever," she said with a malicious grin.

"Wait what?" but she was already gone. Feeling uneasy, William entered the room. It was empty for the most part. The carpet was torn up, and messy while paper peeled from the walls. The far wall demanded attention due to a large painting that hung upon it. A portrait of an elderly gentleman dressed in fine clothing. It gave off the unshakable impression that it was staring directly at him.

"Ahh so our guest still persists. I trust then that young Lady Abigale sent you my way?" It was the butler, who had somehow appeared in a vacant corner of the room.

"So it's Jeeves, right?"

"Indeed sir."

"Then can you explain to me what's going on here? Who is forcing the ghost Pokemon to act so violently and why are you helping them? And why are you letting a little girl run around an abandoned house all by herself?" The butler shook his head, taking a few steps forward.

"Come now really, you don't think that I want any part in this, do you? Did you even listen to the plight which Lady Abigale has described? _We are all_ held against our will here sir, by he who came before yourself. A very distinguished gentleman to say the least." The butler shuddered for a moment, and Will could see that eerie violet light glimmering once again in his eyes.

"But alas, already I have said too much. Forgive me sir. I was ordered to simply ward away any chance intruders but now. Now I'm afraid I must do something far worse." Jeeves hand pointed towards the painting whose eyes turned a violent blood red. It wasn't just a trick of the light; they were sweeping all around the room in a manic fashion. Then all at once they became transfixed upon Will. The room grew dark and cold, while a purple blob began to ooze outward from within the painting.

"Gengar! Come forth and help me to change our new friend here from guest, to permanent resident." The Blob sprouted large dark spikes along its back, as well as a stubby pair of arms and legs. In the center was a large mouth stuck in a perpetual grin, while a pair of violet eyes gleamed savagely.

"Alright, one more time my friend. Weavile lets take him down!" Will felt fear pulse through him though when he saw yellow sparks crackling off his summoned partner's body.

 _Paralysis_ …

"Gengar sludge bomb!" Shouted the butler. The phantom Pokemon was quick, rising into the air as it bombarded Weavile with foul bursts of dark purple gunk from its mouth. Normally it would have been simple, Weavile's speed made it easy for him to duck and weave through enemy assaults. But Rotom's thunderwave from before had left him in a crippled state, there was no way he could avoid Jeeves's attack.

"Try and intercept it with your ice shard!" Weavile went for the move, but cringed as more yellow sparks engulfed its body. Then in an explosion of black clouds was forced to the ground from Gengar's attack. "Dang it! Weavile don't give up! It's just like when we fought dad! We need to end the fight as quickly as possible! Use the wall to climb up and then strike it down with Night Slash!" With grit determination, the claw Pokemon forced itself to stand then followed its trainers command.

"A desperate move. Night shade Gengar!" Weavile leapt from the wall, its claws pulsing with dark energy. But it was just to slow, already the ghost Pokemon had maneuvered itself directly behind its prey before releasing a horrid ray of energy from its eyes. Weavile fell hard to the ground, and the pokedex in Wills pocket buzzed loudly. An alert warning him that his partners endurance was exhausted. If they tried to battle any further, Weavile would die.

"Forgive me young master. I would never allow Gengar to indulge in its more hostile tendencies but. It is no longer my choice to make. Without an ally to protect you, he will now feast upon your life force." The phantoms wicked smile parted to reveal a long and slimy pink tongue which lapped the air in front of William. His hand scrambled for the second ball in his pocket.

"Woah hang on a second pal; no way am I going to let that thing touch me. Rotom its all on you now!" Another flash of light and the refrigerator Pokemon from before appeared. For a moment Jeeves smiled as if happy to see the creature, then his body gave another shudder, growing rigid as his eyes completely glazed over in violet light.

"Shadow Ball Gengar!" The ghoul twisted itself round in the air, unleashing a focused blob of shadowy energy towards its new foe. Before Will could give a command however, Rotom flung the doors of its body open wide while a mighty gale of freezing wind and ice blasted outward.

"Is that Blizzard?" marveled William retrieving his pokedex. The force of his new friends attack completely overwhelmed both shadow ball which fell apart, and Gengar who was coated in sheets of ice. "What else can you do?"

"Preposterous! Night Shade Gengar!" The phantom lost its smile as it released another series of powerful dark rays from its eyes. Rotom's body was too big and clunky, and it cringed against the strength of its opponent's assault.

"Alright how about a little pay back? Rotom use your thunderwave and paralyze Gengar!" A yellow spark flashed through Rotom's eyes as it pointed its arms toward the ghost pokemon. Its body then began to vibrate quickly as rings of electricity surged outward surrounding Gengar whose own body began to crackle with energy. "Good! Now use thundershock!"

"Shadow Ball!" But the paralysis was already setting in, and the few seconds it afforded Rotom over Gengar were all that was needed. The frosty ghosts body was engulfed in light as it fired a bolt of lightning from its horn zapping the shadow Pokemon. William glanced down at the pokedex's screen, scrolling through the list of techniques his new partner was capable of.

"Now if I recall correctly, one of this species primary weaknesses, is to techniques of its own type," said Will with a triumphant grin, "lucky enough for us since Rotom was formerly a ghost type it still knows a few of their tricks. Now end this with Ominous Wind!"

"Gengar use sludgebomb!" The phantom Pokemons eyes went completely violet just like its masters as it gave a vengeful smile before spewing more foul gunk which struck Rotom.

"You can take it! He's got nowhere else to go now! Attack!" Rotom threw open its fridge doors once again whilst its arms spun wildly around like windmills. Purple gusts of air swept forward, thrusting Gengar into the wall. Unable to endure the super effective attack the ghost pokemon fled, its body fading away into the darkness.

Before Will knew what was happening the large fridge Pokemon had flung itself upon him in a hug that sent sparks racing down his spine.

"Woah easy their buddy! Yes, I know we did it! You were amazing! How is it that you know such a powerful move like blizzard?! That was incredible!" Upon Gengar's departure Jeeves had collapsed, as if strings had been holding him upright. As he stood again, Will could see that the strange light from before had left his eyes, and the old butler seemed to be smiling warmly.

"Well done young master. My job was to defend the mansion by chasing intruders away through Pokemon battles. Yet it seems somehow, that your defeating me was not something the Other expected, and has weakened the shackles placed upon me. As I failed to defeat you, it seems only fair that I grant some type of reward." Jeeves held up a lone golden key of older designs. "Now I see why lady Abigale was willing to entrust her dearest friend to you. Use his power wisely, and set us all free!" The key fell to the dusty floor as Jeeves vanished from the spot and the house grew quiet once more. Will returned both his partners to their pokeballs before picking up the key.

"Alright, all that's left is the bedroom." He returned to the hall, glad to be rid of the creepy paintings gaze. He approached the door in the center of the hallway, the key sliding easily into its keyhole. Beyond the frame William found a large room with twin beds which had been pushed up against the walls to make more room in the center. Here was placed the most intriguing looking device Will had ever seen. The front consisted of a large panel filled with dozens of small squares each bearing an odd shape of sorts on its face. This was connected to a triangular pillar of metal and glass filled with a pulsing purple light. The top had some type of small radio antenna attached, and the machine provided the room with a soft humming sound. As he studied its design, Will noticed that each of the letters within the panel also bore a single spot that flashed the same color as the light, almost as if they were blinking.

"What is this thing?" As far as Will could see there was nobody in the room, though an open window gave him an idea of where this Other man Jeeves and Abigale had mentioned might have gone. Rotom then burst forth from its pokeaball on its own accord, a very angry expression on its face. It took Will a moment to understand the plasma Pokemons anger. "Is this… machine? The thing that's causing all of the ghost Pokemon to act weird Rotom?" The plasma Pokemon gave a nod before blasting the gizmo with its Ominous Wind. The glass pillar shattered spectacularly as the light within seemed to explode outward in a tremendous flare that forced Will to cover his eyes. Then a great number of odd noises filled the room. When Will looked, he was surprised to see many eyes all staring back at him. Each one was a part of the shapes he had seen on the now empty panel. These black figures flew around his body in a circle a few times, each making a series of high-pitched beeps before vanishing in a white light.

"Uhhmmm, your welcome I think?" As the shapes disappeared Will noticed that the inside of the now broken pyramid had in fact not been empty. Suspended within was a smooth rectangular plate of dull purple stone. Its surface was covered in tiny carvings of ancient text.

"Well done master William."

"Oh Jeeve's your back!" said Will suppressing his shock at the elder fellow's sudden appearance. "You're going to have to teach me how you and Abigale do that vanishing trick. I'm sorry but the Other man he isn't here anymore."

"Of course not, once you had defeated me the coward fled. Apparently, he considered his identity far more valuable than the cursed device you see before you."

"So do you know what this is then?" The butler frowned and shook his head.

"I am afraid I do not Master William. All that I can say for certain is that it possessed a most disturbing influence. Under its siren, nearly all the Manor's residents were forced into subjugation. Only myself and Lady Abigale could maintain some degree of freedom. Lucky for you that I managed not to exert my full potential in battle," he said with a devilish grin, "however, I would strongly recommend that you remove the plate that was sealed inside and take it with you. It is a rather, unique artifact after all." Will managed to wrench the old tablet outward, finding that its touch gave him a rather unsettled feeling in his stomach.

"Well what am I supposed to do with this?" Yet nobody answered. Jeeves was once more gone. A paper with a crayon drawing of a small girl holding the hand of man who resembled the butler lay on the floor where he had stood, the words _see you again_ written across the bottom. Through the windows of the chateau a ray of light beamed through. Dawn was approaching and William could see that the fog that had choked the forest was beginning to part.


	10. X: Sinnohs Virtues

_IV: Sinnohs' Virtues_

Will found himself sitting on a small bench in front of Eterna cities Pokemon Center, the events of the previous night still fresh in his mind. Apis and Artermis had managed to fend of the ghost types that had attacked their group, and were preparing for a second assault on the old chateaux with gym leader Gardenia in tow when Will had shut down the mysterious device. Upon returning to the city Gardenia had Will personally follow her to private chambers within her gym to discuss exactly what had transpired at the mansion.

She had listened intently to his entire story, a very grave look upon her face. Once he had finished, he presented her with the purple plate, and was relieved when she insisted she hold on to the artifact for safekeeping. Still, he couldn't help but wonder at what they had stumbled upon. Something quite dangerous for certain; the ability to freely manipulate large hordes of wild Pokemon was practically unheard of, and the truth of the matter left Will with a worried feeling in his stomach. He was reminded again of his childhood, when a resurgence of Team Rocket had caused many problems in his home region.

"You seem troubled," said Artemis emerging from the Pokemon center with a few muffins in hand, "Here you should probably eat something."

"Thanks," said Will halfheartedly, his mind still brooding over the plate, and the mystery man that had escaped the mansion without detection.

"You know Will, you might be new to this whole adventure thing but. It's not smart to just leave behind your teammates like that and go rushing head first into trouble. I'll admit that you got lucky this time, and it was good that you disabled the machine. But next time, maybe be a tad more cautious. We could have helped you out in there."

"Weavile and I handled everything just fine," growled Will irritably. He wasn't in the mood to be chastised.

"Weavile fainted Will! If you hadn't caught that wild Rotom in the chateaux you would be dead right now! I have heard what happens to idiots that wander into the territory of wild Gengar, and it is not a pretty thing."

"Oh, so now I am an idiot, am I?"

"I wasn't saying you specifically Will, I just meant that- "

"Last time I checked, I'm the one that freed all the ghost Pokemon! I am the one that saved Eterna Forest!"

"Ah now I get it," smirked Artemis, "a few good deeds and our friend here thinks he is some chosen champion for Sinnoh! Listen Will, I get that you want to play the whole 'Hero' role', but I wouldn't be doing my job as your companion and friend If I didn't tell you when you're making mistakes."

"I wasn't playing hero!" Shouted Will rising to his feet. The two stood in awkward silence for a few moments eyes locked, then Artemis shook his head with a deep sigh.

"Bull headed, aren't you? I guess there is no other way around it then. Follow me." Without waiting he took off, heading for the northern end of the city. Will followed, fuming at Artemis's audacity. Sure, he counted him as a knowledgeable friend with more experience in the field, but that didn't mean he would be bossed around by some new companion he barely knew. He had experienced enough of that growing up.

The two trainers came to a halt in front of a large and impressive statue of a Pokemon Will did not recognize. Artemis bowed before it before turning to face William.

"Tell me Will, what do you know of the myths of Sinnoh?" Will simply shrugged his shoulders. "I see. Well as you have already seen, ours is a region rich with legends. One tale states that in olden days, battles were not meant for sport but rather ceremony. A ritual meant to better ourselves. Over the course of that ritual a trainer would not only grow closer to their partner, but they would also grow in virtue. By meeting new people and witnessing different approaches, strategies, and beliefs, we are provided three opportunities for growth. The mind may expand, our spirits can grow, and our willpower strengthens."

"Are you saying that you want us to have a battle?" asked Will. Artemis smiled,

"Precisely. Now then, how about a one on one? I'll use Lunatone and you can use Weavile. Their type combinations give both advantages and disadvantages against one another. In that sense, we are on a very equal playing field. Sound fair?"

"I will be leader of Mahogany's gym one day. It would be shameful to ever refuse a challenge when presented with one," grinned Will, excited for a chance to vent frustration and demonstrate his skills.

The two trainers took up stances opposite of each other before the statue. Blood began to pump harder, William could feel his heartbeat thumping within his ears.

"Best of luck!" With that Artemis called out his Lunatone, its red eyes flashing in the sun. Will called Weavile from its pokeball, a fierce smile upon its face. Looks like he was in the mood to battle too. Will thought carefully for a moment. He had seen Lunatone in battle several times now. He knew that the crescent rock would never be able to keep up with Weaviles speed in a fight. Then again, it was capable of the protection technique which not only would nullify any damage, but leave the duo open to a counter attack.

" _Fine then. Let's force him to use it._ Alright Weavile, icicle crash!" The small Pokemon was off in a blur, leaping high into the air as large spears of ice formed in its fists. With a mighty heave, it launched these towards Lunatone who remained still. The spears collided, shattering against the creature's stony body. The attack had failed to cause any serious damage.

"Come now Will, you can do better than that. Lunatone use Moonblast!" The moon Pokemon spun its body like a top forming a ball of pink energy at the tip of its beak. Then like a cannon it fired the orb directly at Weavile.

"Doge it! Slide underneath then follow up with Night slash!" Weavile was a blur, running directly at the oncoming attack. Then in an instant, he dropped. using his momentum to slide along the ground. As soon as he was clear of Lunatones' attack, he sprang up, dark miasma radiating from his claws.

"Protect!" The dark Pokemons claw clashed with a powerful green energy field which sprung up around Lunatone. Artemis smiled. "Not bad Will, but a little predictable. I think it's time we introduced you to a little secret of ours. Lunatone, trick room now!"

" _Trick room?"_ Lunatones eyes lit up bright blue, and as it did a veil of energy engulfed the battle field before fading from sight.

"I've noticed how much you rely on Weaviles speed to win in your battles. Sorry to tell you this, but speed is no longer going to be an option; at least not for you. Lunatone, Power Gem!"

To his eyes it made no sense. It was as if the Pokemon simply disappeared only to reappear right behind Weavile. As it did, four large purple crystals formed in the air which then struck outward, catching Weavile full in the back and blasting him onto his belly. Before Will even had time to think Artemis had given his next command.

"Moon blast!" Another orb of energy came surging down, this time directly from above. It was too much for his partner to handle and Will felt his heart drop as the pokedex buzzed in his pocket. The battle was over. They had lost.

Artemis approached his Lunatone, tickling it underneath its beak while congratulating it. Will could feel the heat radiating from his face. He had been completely confidant that they would win the match. Sadly, he recalled Weavile to his pokeball.

"A loss is a bitter thing sometimes. But even in defeat we learn something, don't we? At times I find myself wondering which benefits us more. Victory assures us of our tactics, builds our confidence, strengthens resolve, yet eventually leads to a natural laxness. Defeat inspires us to make changes, seek out something new, and improve ourselves more. In that sense, perhaps it's not so bad to lose every now and then."

With that Artemis left William to brood by the statue alone. While he hated the morally high horse his colleague toted, he also couldn't completely disagree. After all, he had been defeated almost effortlessly. For the first time in his life, Will found himself thankful that his grandfather had not been around to watch him battle. He gazed up to the statue above him, noticing that on its worn base was an inscription of sorts and a triangle of colored orbs.

" _Huh_ … _Three virtues…_


	11. XI: Ancient Connections

_V: Ancient Connections_

Will took in a deep breath, enjoying the cool morning air as it filled his lungs. A thick fog blanketed the land around him, causing the windows of tiny Solaceon to stand out like distant stars. He wasn't complaining though. In fact, this kind of fog was the precise reason that the duo had diverged from their original path, and traveled to the small country settlement. The route leading to Snowpoint City was to take them through the lower caverns of Mt. Coronet, which were well known to be plagued by constant fog. Rather than spend days wondering lost in the underground, they had decided to seek out a move tutor who specialized in the Defog technique which would enable their Pokemon to clear out the natural barrier. As Will had no Pokemon capable of using the technique himself though, he had left Artemis to train with his Noctowl while he explored a series of ruins just beyond the eastern limits of the town. It didn't take him long to find them, the Solaceon Ruins were a great tourist attraction. He had hoped that his early morning arrival might deter the presence of any company, but much to his surprise he found a sprightly old man hurriedly pacing back and forth between the entrance.

"Well bless my beard it's a youth after all! Come to explore the ruins I take it?" he said rushing over to greet Will. "Excellent yes most excellent, you do your generation a great deal of good young man! Why if more of you were interested in these sorts of matters, the mysterious that plague such places would surely yield their secrets!"

"Uhm thank you I guess?" said Will a bit flustered by the man's energy.

"Not at all! Now then what am I to call you my new friend?"

"William, though Will is fine sir."

"A pleasure William! My name is Karl! I've been studying these here ruins for quite some time. It is most fortunate that you are here now though, for you see as of late the ruins have seemingly come alive with activity!"

"Alive?"

"Oh yes! You see they are a nesting ground for a very particular species of Pokemon that we call Unown. Have you ever encountered one before?" Will felt a tingle of excitement rush through his stomach. He had never met one, but the Unown were well known in his home region of Johto.

"I am familiar with them. In fact, they have a large nest in the Ruins of Alph back home from what I understand."

"Ahhhh so you are from Johto then I take it? A pleasure having you here in our region! Now then as I was saying, the ruins are all a buzz with activity. Normally, the Unown are quite docile. Yet something has them stirred up, and I am quite curious as to learn why. Care to accompany me down into the ruins?"

"Of course. The Unown, they aren't dangerous, are they?"

"Not at all dear boy, just a bit excited it seems is all. Still, there is safety in numbers, yes? Right then off we go!"

Without really waiting the old man was off into the cave with Will following swiftly behind. The ruins proved to be a bare sight, much to Wills dismay. He had hoped to explore an ancient temple, like the ones seen in the movies. This however, seemed to be nothing more than a hollowed cavern. On the far wall of the room was a series of carvings, while three separate flights of stairs led deeper into the earth. Not only that, but a cacophony of odd beeps emanated from somewhere within the ruins.

"Now then If my memory serves me correctly. we are going to want to take that second flight of stairs on our right. Off we go!" The old explorer was moving again and Will couldn't help but chuckle at his excitement. As he prepared to follow suit however, the carvings on the wall caught his eye.

"Wait, Karl?! What is that writing up on the wall?"

"What's that? Ahhhh yes, the inscription. Well you see an ancient tribe, whose name and origin remain to this day a mystery, are believed to have carved that writing upon the wall long ago. Each of their letters corresponds to one of the many different shapes that the Pokemon Unown may take. Isn't it just fascinating?"

"Yeah… Fascinating," thought Will as he followed down the stairs. He was wrong, he had seen the Unown before after all. Back at the Eterna mansion, they had been trapped in a piece of that odd machine. Even as his mind wondered at this the beeping noises grew louder. Soon they were in another much smaller room with more stairs leading down into different portions of the ruins. Small black shapes flickered in and out of sight above their heads, the Unown.

"Its been years since I have seen them so active. Normally the silly little critters spend all day sleeping on the walls, pretending to be letters themselves. But what's got them so anxious? That has been the subject of my study these past few days," said Karl as he paced around the room in circles, "Now then let's see which one was it again. Maybe here?"

Will found himself grateful for his guide as it quickly became apparent that the ruins were more like a maze, with many staircases leading into identical chambers, each completely empty save for a lone boulder at its center, and the many Unown buzzing about in clusters near the walls and ceilings. Before long he had completely lost track of where they were, and even Karl had to backtrack a few times to stay on some unseen course. Finally, after one final flight of stairs, they arrived in a much larger chamber. A slight mist pervaded the ground, and a second Inscription could be seen on the far wall. Before It stood someone. A figure concealed beneath a large, dark cloak. Will gave Karl a curious glance, but the archaeologist seemed every bit as perplexed by this unexpected visitor who was busy muttering under his breath.

"So then. At some point the two groups must have met, and shared their learnt knowledge. The myths of creation… Great catalysts concealed in the aftermath… and these _hands_ that somehow guide… But where and when precisely did this occur? If only I knew…" Karl stepped towards the man.

"I daresay, I don't recall seeing you enter the ruins sir! My gosh you must have come quite early this morning if you beat me to the punch! I don't believe we've met before! You see I'm"-

"Professor Karl Fray. Yes, I know all about you," said the man turning to greet them. Will was taken aback. Vibrant violet eyes peered out from beneath a crown of raven dark hair, which fell long but neatly around his pale face.

"You are quite right! But my good man, I must admit. I don't recall having ever met before. May I ask for your name?" An unnatural chill ran down Will's spine as the man began to slowly pace the floor of the room. Something about him seemed very off and he could not help but instinctively reach for Weaviles Pokeball.

"Dirac will suffice professor. It is quite fortunate that you are here now. You see, I am a theorist of sorts who has been working for quite some time on a theory concerning matters of ancient cultures. My research led me to seek more information on the Unown, and there is no better place to study them in all of Sinnoh than here."

"Agreed!" Piped the professor. Will couldn't help but marvel at the old man's apparent lack of concern over their mysterious comrade, "A blessing for our fair region of Sinnoh. It is quite rare for the Unown to settle in such large numbers after all. We must count ourselves lucky!"

"Lucky indeed." Chimed the stranger, "Now then, a simple question. What do you make of these stones?" Dirac held out for them to see, three stones each a different color. One an intense orange, with a crystalline flame at its heart. Another a translucent blue with small bubbles all throughout it, and the last a yellow green stone with a bright yellow vein shaped like a bolt of lightning.

"Why those are evolutionary stones! But surely you knew that?" Piped the professor.

"Quite right. You see Professor Fray, the true curiosity lies not with the stones, but rather where they came from." The man began to pace about the room, his eyes wandering between the fluttering Unown. "Within this cave I'm sure you saw, are many chambers containing nothing but a lone rock. Truthfully, they are simple alters. Upon them in three separate chambers, I found these stones. Curious as to why they were there to begin with, I took the stones with me away from the ruins for closer inspection. Yet upon my return to replace them, I discovered that three more stones had appeared to take their place." Turning to face Will and the professor, he revealed this second set of stones, identical to the first. "What would you make of this phenomena professor?"

"Most engaging. The rooms that you found these stones in. Empty you say?"

"Quite right, although there was one thing I found to be unique to each of them. The Unown."

"I take it then that you were only able to find certain shapes in each room?"

"Shapes?" Interrupted William.

"Ahh yes excellent!" smiled the professor, "You see young man, some species of Pokemon have different forms to themselves, meaning that two of the same species will vary in appearance. Out of all species however, none come close to the variance of the Unown! Twenty-eight in total!"

"Meaning that the shapes he found have something to do with those stones?" asked William.

"An excellent theory dear boy, and I must concur!" Smiled the professor. Dirac too, seemed pleased with this answer.

"If this is true, then perhaps the nature of these alters becomes a bit clearer." Said Dirac, staring up at the large inscription upon the wall, "One might even say, the temple itself. You see many equate the Unown with an ancient language. One that appears not only here in Sinnoh, But Johto as well as the Sevii Isles. It has heavy ties to tribes that took up residence in those regions. Each had tremendous interaction and a unique understanding of the Unown themselves. So much so, that it is theorized they based their language upon the Pokemon. Of course, there are some who disagree with this, claiming that Unown are themselves an artificial Pokemon, engineered by the tribes. A most interesting claim."

"Hoho! I see you are a fan of Dr. Crofts Theory of Alchemical Pokemon generation?"

"Not so much a fan, though I admit it makes some… Useful speculations," Smiled Dirac.

"But why would these ancients want to make a Pokemon with so many shapes?" asked Will, feeling that this Dirac character was skirting something important.

"Wahahaha! Now that my dear William is a question whose answer would come with an Archaeological grand prize!"

"William?" asked Dirac whose gaze shifted onto the trainer for a moment, a wild light seeming to spark within them. "How… Nice to meet you… Now as to why they would create a Pokemon. Well I believe the answer lies before us here." He returned his gaze to the inscription. Studying it most intensely.

"Here William, it's no fun when you're stuck in the dark! Allow me to transcribe this for you!" said the professor before clearing his throat.

 _Friendship. All Lives Touch Other Lives to Create Something Anew and Alive_

"To create something anew and alive," Repeated Dirac, "Yes. I believe that is just what the Unown were meant to do. The elemental stones I carry are just a small example of what the ancients could create by using the Unown's hidden powers. But this passage here, it's significance spans more than just the Pokemons purpose, but a question that I have long wondered."

"Is that right? Well my dear fellow, please don't keep an old kodger like me waiting! Do tell!"

"The truth of these Ancients. Don't you see, it? _All lives Touch Others…_ I understand now that my former theory was incorrect. I once believed that all these tribes spread out across the globe originated here in Sinnoh. But now I can see. The ones that kept the language of the Unown, and perhaps even acted as its progenitors. They came from afar, drawn to this land by some mysterious force.

The information they carried; eventually they chose to share it with those who dwelt here. This temple, it is a testimony to the happy union of the two cultures. A place where knowledge was shared, and a new a friendship was born."

"Hmmm… you just might have something there. After all," said the professor, who was busy scanning the inscription once more, "To prove this however, we would need a linguistic to analyze and compare samplings of the texts here with that from other locations. I'd be willing to wager that your best bet for a match lies somewhere in the Ruins of Alph."

Dirac smiled again, and William felt a distinct air of triumph radiate from him.

"My dear Professor Fray, our chance meeting today strikes me as more than mere coincidence. But an act of fate! There is no doubt in my mind that you are meant to accompany me and my archaeological team in our investigations. With our combined knowledge we just might be able to lay claim that it was in fact Johto where the Unown and this language truly was born!" The professor smiled and began waving his hat about in the air.

"Ahh do you smell it boys! That is the grand aroma of adventure! History never truly rests and neither shall I! I accept your offer!"

When the trio resurfaced from the ruins the sun was already high in the sky. Dirac and Fray returned with William to Solaceons' Pokemon Center to collect their belongings before setting out to meet in Hearthome City. Will however, lacked the enthusiasm his two new colleagues shared. Instead a terrible anxiety seemed to have planted itself in his gut. As Dirac left for his room, Will found himself alone with Fray.

"Well my dear boy, this has been quite the exciting day, hasn't it? I've said it once and I'll say it again. If more youth were interested in history like you and that fellow Dirac, the world would be a very different place!"

"Professor, aren't you in the least bit… I don't know curious? As to who this Dirac guy really is? I mean you just met him and now you're flying off to another region to do groundbreaking research together? Don't you find anything I don't know…off putting about him?

"Your concerns are a valid one my boy but just look at me! Am I not also a rather eccentric fellow?

"Well… Enthusiastic sure but-"

"William, chance meetings such as these are wonderful opportunities! Why just look at us! You met me mere hours ago and yet already you are concerned about my well-being. It is as the ancients said about friendship. When one life touches another, something new is born! True I have never heard of this Dirac before; nevertheless, I am looking forward to tackling the great mysteries of the past alongside him. Adventure is out there! Not just for me, but for you and everyone who is willing to listen when it calls us! Take our meeting for example; I believe it was also no mere coincidence.

"What do you mean?" The professor glanced about the room before pulling William in closer to him, speaking in a hushed whisper.

"Now you might think me crazy when I say this, but last night I had a peculiar dream. In it I was standing atop a tall, icy mountain. Cresselia herself flew past me in a shimmer of light, and as I watched her fly away I noticed from my eyes corner, that a Glaceon was patiently waiting for me. As soon as we locked eyes, she began to guide me further up the snowy mountainside until we came to the mouth of a rather menacing cave. Inside, the walls were covered in Unown script patterned in these enormous circles! Then, a most peculiar young man appeared. His feet never touched the ground, and when he spoke his voice came out as more of an echo. He told me that Solaceons temple was expecting me, and that when I arrived I would meet a new friend. And wouldn't you know it, an hour later I met you!"

"You saw… a Glaceon?" Will said, more to himself than the professor who continued speaking.

"The mythical Pokemon of this world are amazing beings William, whose vast powers grant them a profound understanding of things beyond us. Although this old man has developed a keen intuition," he added with a wink, "sometimes the universe can't help but nudge us in the right direction. I look forward to seeing you again someday my newfound friend! Farewell!"

And as quickly as they had met the odd Professor Karl Frey was off, leaving Will with dozens of questions. The doors of the center were quick to open again, as Artemis arrived at the center.

"There you are! I've been looking all over for you! Is… is something wrong? What's with the face?"

"Artemis… can I ask you something?

"Is everything alright?" he asked with a worried expression.

"It's about Cresselia…and maybe something more."


	12. Feeling Blue: I

Feeling Blue: I

 _Ten years Ago..._

Ocean waves were casually rocking back and forth across the shoreline of a messy beach. Large hunks of rock were strewn about it in a sporadic fashion, and as he looked around Blue found himself possessed by a powerful melancholy. This place, he had only visited it for a very short time in his youth. Filled with such determination on becoming champ, he stayed only long enough to defeat the gym leader Blaine and his team of inferno Pokemon.

" _Not like that was much of a challenge,"_ he thought while kicking a pebble. Still, it might have been nice to maybe… Just maybe have gotten to know the town a bit more before it was destroyed. Several months ago, he had heard the reports from Blaine. Large tremors had begun to rock Cinnabar day and night, and the stench of sulfur was starting to rise from the broiling sea. After the evacuation, Blue had watched from his old home in Pallet Town as the horizon exploded into a brilliant display of reds, yellows and oranges. As quickly as it had come though, the volcano had swiftly simmered as if it was perfectly content to have simply destroyed the town of Guren before returning to slumber. Now all that was left were trace remains of the abandoned Pokemon Mansion. Blue felt another wave of nostalgia wash over him, as memories of his first journey through Kanto became vividly fresh in his mind.

This was not like him, and he was growing irritable at the emotions churning inside. Why did he feel this way? Why harbor such sadness for a place that hadn't meant anything to him? Something about it he just couldn't understand. Without much of a care he began to climb the newly formed hill on the island. The fresh rock had finally cooled to the point where one could tread upon it but even then, he still felt the heat of the earth through his boots. He climbed until he could see down into the caldera of the Volcano, which had already sealed shut. One would hardly believe that such catastrophe would have been possible, looking at it now. His attention was then called back to the bare and empty island. Blue recalled how every city and town in the region usually had a sign to welcome visitors. Letting his actions guide him he began to scan the surrounding area, and after about fifteen minutes of searching, he had managed to construct a crude signpost out of the remaining wreckage of the town. Planting it firmly where a fossil research lab had once existed he wrote,

 _The Ravaged Town of the Past._

"There. At least now you've got something to show," said Blue. He was surprised by himself, talking aloud to the open air, creating the sign. Since when did he become so sentimental?

 _"Better be careful there Blue, or you'll wind up being more like that chatty gossip Red_ ," he thought to himself. With a scowl he turned his gaze north toward the mainland of Kanto. Then he noticed that a shape was heading towards him, rising from out of the ocean. A large Pokemon with glimmering red scales, and a young trainer atop its head wearing a black and yellow hat.

" _Well this oughta be good."_ He smirked as the trainer descended onto the beach, recalling his Pokemon before approaching.

"Who are you?" Asked Blue whilst orienting his stance to that of a very nonchalant person.

"I'm Ethan of New Bark Town" responded the trainer, "I'm the Johto League Champion and I am here looking for the grandson of Professor Oak. That wouldn't happen to be you by any chance, would it?" Blue felt his pride flare up instantly. He had heard that Lance had been dethroned, but by this kid?

"My name is Blue. I was once the Kanto Champion! Of course, that was rather short lived thanks to Red…" Blue shook his head, for moment losing his usual composure. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't keep his missing rival from his mind. "Anyway, look at all of this," he said gesturing to the empty island. "A volcano decides that it's going to erupt, and just like that an entire town vanishes off the face of the earth. All of us. We can all go on winning and losing in battles but no matter how strong we become, if nature even flinches we can all be overwhelmed within seconds. I guess that's just the way it is. Kind of puts things into perspective, if you know what I mean." The boy frowned, and Blue could see that his lesson had gone right over the young trainer's head.

"I am here to challenge you, as you are the leader of Viridian Cities Pokemon Gym. I have already gathered seven of Kanto's badges, yours is all that I need now."

"And what's a champ doing collecting another set of badges?" inquired Blue.

"Professor Oak. He promised me he would allow for my passage into the terrain surrounding Mt. Silver if I could gather all of Kanto's badges."

"So, my gramps has you jumping through hoops because he's worried you won't be able to hack it out there," said Blue with a cocky grin. "Alright I'll bite little Johto champ. I'm still a trainer after all, and when I see a strong opponent it makes me want to battle!" With that Blue fished a Pokeball from his pants pocket, tossing it high into the air. There was a burst of light, and then an enormous avian Pokemon sporting a beautiful plumage landed down next to him. He quickly climbed onto its waiting back.

'Come find me in Viridian cities gym! And I will show you what a top-notch Kanto trainer is capable of!" With that Blue and his Pidgeot soared away high into the sky.


	13. Feeling Blue: II

_Feeling Blue: II_

Blue leaned against the outer back wall of his grandfather's laboratory, arms crossed and eyes purposefully unfocused. In his mind, the images of his recent battle against Ethan were still playing over and over. It had been a brutally tough match, and Blue kept scorning himself for not taking the challenge seriously during the beginning of the fight. But would it have really mattered? Probably not seeing as how he had been defeated while Ethan still had one more Pokemon waiting in the wings. With a deep sigh, he slid down the wall into a slump on the ground, letting his head fall between his knees.

" _I guess that's it then. If I can't even beat some little Johto Champ, what chances do I really have standing against…Him."_ Blue began to feel the same emotions from before stirring in his gut. He was recalling the first time he had ever had a Pokemon battle, right here inside his grandfather's lab. How he and Squirtle had defeated their rivals without breaking a sweat.

"Where did I go wrong?" He grumbled while looking up. He froze when he saw his sister staring down at him.

"Blue? What are you doing out here? I didn't know you were coming to Pallet. Is something the matter?"

"Daisy!?" He shouted rising to his feet, "Gosh you shouldn't just sneak up on people like that! Don't you have manners?!"

"As a matter of fact, I do little brother. You on the other hand, what with all that 'smell you later' nonsense, could really work on proper mannerisms. For example, most siblings greet each other with a hug when seeing each other." With that Daisy grabbed her brother and pulled him into a fierce hug, leaving Blue feeling awkward and blank in the mind. "I've been worried about you."

"Worried? About me? Daisy I am fine, I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself. Just because I'm your little brother doesn't mean you need to constantly pretend I am in trouble. Don't forget I was a Champion after all!"

"And I am a master coordinator," she said with a wink, "but that doesn't make me perfect Blue. Well at least not one hundred percent anyway." Daisy gave a giggle while jabbing Blue with her elbow. He knew she meant no harm, but her joke only seemed to further his anxiety.

"Yeah yeah I get it, the whole world gets it. You're a superstar Daisy, and everybody loves you. No arguments there." Daisy scanned her brother, her smile quickly becoming a frown.

"Blue I know that you've been having a hard time lately, and I know your trying to handle everything all on your own and maybe you don't want to hear this but-"

"What do I not want to hear Daisy?!" growled Blue. He couldn't stand this. He was so angry inside that all he wanted was to leave; to get as far away from Pallet Town as he could. Maybe even all of Kanto, but before he could do that… "Look, I just want to break some news to gramps alright. I'm not hear for a pep talk, or for some family reunion. Once we're done chatting I'm gone."

The two siblings stood in silence for a moment. Blue was staring hard at the ground, knowing full well his sister was watching his eyes like she always did. He never could hide stuff from her.

"Grandpa… Should be returning any minute. He's over at Reds old house, talking with his mom about something."

"Reds house?" blurted Blue, his stomach feeling as if it had done a flip. His sister smiled again, which confused and irritated him.

"Yes. I am pretty sure it was something important, but beyond that your guess is as good as mine. If you want to know more, you can ask Gramps when you see him." With that Daisy turned away, heading towards their old home. Just looking at the building filled Blue with so many memories. His childhood, growing jealous when Daisy got her first Pokemon. All those days spent playing outside with his best friend, dreaming of adventure.

"Daisy!" he called after her, causing her to stop in the doors frame. "Alright I'll admit … It was good to see you again." She flashed her brother a warm smile.

"Nobody knows you as well as I do Blue. That's what sisters are for. When you've finally figured this all out and you're ready to talk… And I mean _ready_ , I'll be here waiting." Blue smiled faintly as she disappeared behind the door. Part of him now wanted to join her, to ask her what she meant by that but he knew better.

He decided to wait inside the Lab, expecting to see some of his Grandfathers assistants when he opened the door but only found a dark and empty room. He walked between the tall book laden shelves, noticing the dust that had accumulated. He knew that Oak had become infinitely busier ever since taking that job with the radio in Goldenrod, but this still shocked him. He moved over toward the large empty table at the rooms back, recalling when three pokeballs had sat waiting to be claimed. It had been so much livelier back then.

"Blue? Is that you? What a pleasant surprise!" Blue turned to see his Grandfather as the lights came on throughout the building. Oak looked as if he hadn't slept well in days, and Blue could tell that something was very wrong.

"Gramps? What's going on? you look like your about to have a heart attack!"

"I'm fine dear boy just fine. A little stressed perhaps, but nothing your Grandpa can't handle. What brings you to see me today, shouldn't you be watching the Viridian Gym? I've grown weary of the complaints involving the usual absence from your post as leader."

"Oh sure, Giovanni can leave the gym empty for months but I can't leave it alone for two seconds without someone starting a-" Oak raised his hand for silence, not wishing to argue with his grandson. Blue normally would have pressed the matter just a bit further, but could see now wasn't the time for banter. "Look Gramps I am here actually about that. About the gym."

"I see, is there something wrong with the facility? I told you those spinning puzzles would only get on your nerves."

"No, the facility is fine it's not that it all. I was just, well I was thinking about it and." Blue found himself frozen to the spot. He couldn't believe it, he never stumbled like this. Normally he was confident and secure in his choices but. Now, just like everything else, he was failing.

"My boy, you look rather pale. Are you feeling quite well?"

"Gramps I'm fine, now would you just listen to me!" snapped Blue. Oak let out a long sigh, before gesturing toward a few empty chairs.

"Alright then. What's on your mind."

"I want to resign from my post as Gym Leader of Viridian," said Blue, who had begun to pace rather than sit. "You should find someone else to hold down that old fort."

"What?! Blue I'm must say this is quite a surprise. You seemed so eager to assume the position when I offered it to you two years ago. And what a marvelous job you've done! Fewer gym badges have been passed on through your hands than any other leader in Kanto!" Blue felt his heart sink a little bit. It was true, he had insisted on only accepting challengers at his gym that had acquired all the other badges across the region. But he hadn't done it out of a desire for fighting the strongest trainers. He had done it to prevent another Kanto Champ from rising. The title, the crown. He believed for so long that if anyone were to take it from his rival, that it had to be him. But then Red relinquished the title of champion, and vanished without a trace.

"Look Gramps it's just not my style. I like to have my freedom, to come and go as I please. Not be cooped up in some dingy little hideout waiting for trainers that never come that's all."

"I see. If that is truly the case then of course, you are free to do as you choose," said Oak, "however. Know that I think it would be a horrible waste of talent."

"Oh well we wouldn't want to do anything that displeases you now would we," snorted Blue while turning away from his Grandfather.

"Now hold on just a minute, what on earth is that supposed to mean," said Oak rising to his feet.

"Oh nothing. Just that you probably couldn't stand to see something like this stain that perfect name of yours a second time. I mean I guess I can't blame you. How would people look at the world-famous Professor Oak if they found out that his own grandson, a former champ remembered only for losing his title faster than any other, has now also quit his duty as a gym leader."

"Blue that's not-"

"Poorly if I had to guess. Better start prepping gramps, we wouldn't want one of your little radio flunkeys to catch you off guard on your own show. But hey its fine! If anything, just fall back on talking about Daisy. At least she did her part, right? Three Grand Ribbons at the contest spectacular! In the master class no less!"

"Blue you don't have to compare yourself to Daisy!" But by this point it didn't matter. Blue wasn't listening, in fact he couldn't hear anything. His mind was a deluge and his mouth a faucet.

"Gosh gramps I would never try to stack myself up next to Daisy! I'm not that big of an idiot. I know a waste of time when I see one, and believe me I've been wasting enough of your time already! That's why I'm leaving! You won't have to worry about me embarrassing you or the family anymore!"

In a rather unexpected move Blue found himself suddenly in the grip of his Grandfather whose face had become dark and narrowed.

"Since when have I ever treated you like a waste of time!?" Blue threw his own arms up, pushing Oak back a few steps.

"Geeze, I don't know, how about always looking out after Red instead of me! How about always offering him advice, always praising his efforts while nitpicking mine apart!? How about sending your aides to offer him help all the time, instead of your own Grandson?! You even let him take your second starter after his first gym badge as a reward! All I ever did, I did to make YOU proud of me! and for what? In the end it never mattered, I was always going to be your second place!"

"Blue you know exactly why I did those things for him! The boy lost his father! Can you imagine what that did to him and his mother! Would you have had me do nothing?!" Shouted back the professor. Blue felt his guts turning over and over in rage and despair. He feared he might even vomit.

"No! I didn't mean anything like that. I just meant. I wish that… It would have been nice I guess to know what it felt like to be your chosen one. You used to take me to all those conferences, all those special meetings with the league when I was young. I always thought you wanted me as your protégé. Then one day, you just stopped."

What came next was something Blue could not believe, and could not accept. Tears were clouding over his eyesight, and as his face flushed with embarrassment he tried to hide it from his Grandfather. Oak, who had up until this point been frustrated with his grandson's words, found himself awash with realization.

"Blue. I didn't choose one or the other. I saw two young men with talent. I chose both of you to act as my successors. You were so strong, so confident and always two steps ahead of Red. I thought that you didn't need my help as much as he did…" He rushed over to his grandson, pulling him into a tight hug. All the thoughts churning inside of Blues head; they felt like a pack of wild Primeape begging to be set loose. Unable to keep himself in check any longer, he burst into tears.

"I… I cannot be the Viridian Gym leader anymore. I can't be anything anymore Gramps! Don't you get it?! All I ever did, I did it to show the world that I could be a success just like you. But instead I failed. I've failed at keeping the Oak Legacy, at completing your Pokedex, at everything! Look at me! I can't even keep myself together anymore! I'm just too weak. Too weak to beat Red, too weak to beat that Ethan kid. I don't deserve to be a gym leader any more than I deserved to be champion! I never should have started training Pokemon. My team, they all worked so hard to enter the hall of fame. I pushed them to their absolute limits and for what?! A spotlight never meant to last? I can't forgive myself for what I put them through when in the end. It was me. It was always me. Just like you said two years ago. I never learned how to give them that trust and love. Somethings gone wrong inside me and no matter how hard I try, I can't fix it. I can't-"

Oak held onto his grandson in tight embrace, struggling to fight back tears of his own.

"Oh Blue… Daisy kept telling me that she's been noticing odd behavior coming from you but I didn't think that… I didn't realize that I was." Blue felt his Grandfathers hands move to the sides of his cheeks, raising his face so that he was looking directly into his eyes. "Blue. You know that after all these years, I couldn't be prouder of you. You've become a stronger trainer than I ever was!"

"But it wasn't enough. Ever since the day I lost at the plateau, all I can think about is that battle. About him Gramps! Why did it have to be Red? We were essentially the same at the start. Why is it that he succeeded where I failed? And now this Ethan… He reminded me so much of Red too. They both have this air about them. They radiate strength. I used to think I had that kind of power too but in the end, I was just a fraud."

Oak embraced his grandson again, guilt welling up in his mind. He knew that this was his fault. Though he hadn't meant it, he had placed an impossible burden upon Blue. A standard that no trainer could ever have hoped to fill. Perhaps If he hadn't been so caught up in his research with the Pokedex, then maybe he would have been able to help steer his Grandson towards a happier vision of the future. Or perhaps if he had seen as clearly then as Juniper did in Unova, he would never have given two mere children of eleven Pokemon so that they could leave on their first journey.

"Blue… I am sorry. Sorry for everything that has happened, sorry for what I put you through. It wasn't fair of me to expect so much from you. I was an old fool blinded by my own ambitions. I couldn't see what I was doing to my own family. What I was doing to you. Believe me when I say, it should be me asking for your forgiv-"

The lab door suddenly burst open as a woman with long brown hair came rushing into the building. Blue recognized her in an instant.

"Oak! Lance just called the house! Someone did it, someone finally found him!" Blues heart began racing like a comet.

" _Red…"_


	14. Feeling Blue III

_Feeling Blue: III_

" _Keep it together you sap," t_ hought Blue as he took a seat at a small dining table. Its wooden face still bore the scars he and Red had dug into it while building forts in what felt a lifetime ago. His Grandfather was busy pacing back and forth in front of the door talking on his Pokegear, whilst Reds mother Lila worked to heat a small teapot in the kitchen.

"I see… so he was up there after all… Exactly where did they meet? The peak!?... I see and what happened next?... Even then!?… Still that strong."

"Gramps?"

"Thank you for this. I've got to go." With that Oak hung up the phone, turning to face the two with a serious expression. "You were right Lila. Lance confirmed with me that Ethan has returned to his post at the League. Apparently, he encountered Red somewhere near the peak of Mt. Silver.

"Wait, he found Red?!" Blues heart began beating like a drum in his chest. It had been so long since anyone had seen or heard from the former champ. Not since he had outed a branch of Team Rocket in the Sevii Islands over two years ago.

"Indeed, he did. The Champion engaged Red in a full battle and despite Ethans best efforts, he was no match for your son Lila… He really has become a tremendously powerful trainer and yet." Oak ran his fingers through his ever-thinning hair. "Something has gone terribly wrong. I never intended for this to happen. This pilgrimage, this isolation he has subjected himself too. I can't fathom why he has done any of it! Blue, I'm not sure if you know this but. Red hasn't spoken to his mother since the day he vanished. She managed to equip him with a new Pokegear before he left, yet he's never once tried to call her. She's been worried sick."

"Red won't even talk to you? But he loves you! He's such a mommas' boy!" said Blue with an absolute feeling of exasperation. Lila smiled, but Blue could see that her eyes were puffy. She had been crying.

"Before Red left, he stopped here in Pallet and told me that something urgent had caught his attention when he was out exploring the isles. He said that he had to go, and that he wasn't sure when he would come back."

"What did he find out?" asked Blue, his mind running over the many places he had also seen during his ventures throughout the isles.

"He never would say. The only thing he told me was that he had to become even stronger than he was then. I never could piece together why. For two years he's left me with nothing but stray thoughts and questions."

"At first, I was worried it had something more to do with Team Rocket," said Oak who had resumed his pacing, fingers perched on his chin in concentration, "but they have clearly seen the last of their days since the incident in Goldenrod." Oak let out a long sigh. "Red only seems interested in one thing now, and that is becoming even stronger. Beyond battling, he won't even attempt contact with other humans. But there is so much more to Pokemon than power. Somewhere along the line, he lost track of himself, not unlike yourself my boy," he added glancing at his grandson.

Blue found himself overwhelmed with worry. Something clearly had spooked his rival, but what?

"Now it seems he spends his days battling the frightening Pokemon of Mt Silver," whispered Lila, her hands shaking as she attempted to pour herself a glass of tea.

"Here, let me help with that," said Blue, quickly reaching over and steadying her hands.

"Oh Blue," she smiled softly, "it's still strange for me to see you all grown up. When I look at you all I see is that clever little boy who always had something to say. Coming over here at all hours of the day and night. Planning out your adventures together with Red for when the two of you would finally be old enough." Her voice trailed off as her eyes became locked on a distant memory.

"They really were inseparable back then," chuckled Oak. Blue became painfully aware that both were lost in their own memories, and he himself struggled not to fall into another flashback. Lila began to pour a second glass, which she passed to Blue. The cup felt perfectly warm in his hands, and he looked up to see her gazing at him with watery eyes.

"He missed you so much when you two stopped being such good friends. He always wondered what it was that he had done to make you become so distant." Blue quickly looked down at the table, sipping on the tea.

"I… I wanted to be the strongest. I was worried that if I didn't toughen up. If I didn't grow up, that I would never become that. I never meant to hurt him." Lila smiled softly again, before a sudden thought seemed to seize her. In an instant she grabbed ahold of Blues hand.

"Blue. It's you… It must be you! You are the only one that can help my boy. Please go to him. Go and find Red on Mt. Silver and bring him home!"

"What?!" stammered Blue, his mind spinning wildly at the thought, "I'm sorry but I can't do something like this! Red is beyond me!"

"But you can do this," said Oak whose face much like Lila's had lit up with wide hopeful eyes, "Red won't listen to any of us, but he might be willing to listen to you! This is perfect!"

"I already told you though! I lost to the Johto Champ! If he can't beat Red then what chance do I have at-"

"Blue you've always approached Red with the intent of battle, but we don't want you to fight him! You two were once the best of friends I had ever seen! I need you to find whatever remains of that thread between you again! Just try talking to him, see if you can figure out what led to all of this," said Oak. "I know that this might not be fair of me to ask. But I need your help to fix an old fools mistakes. We need you to try and bring that boy back home. Lila has spent far too many days wondering if her son is alive or dead."

"But Red won't listen to me Gramps… He's stubborn as can be!"

"Blue… I love you I really do. But sometimes you can be so blind," chuckled Oak, "If you want to learn the truth. If you want to achieve this bond that you currently lack with your Pokemon and reclaim the strength needed to face someone like Red. Then you have no choice. You must go to Mt. Silver. You might not realize it, but _you're_ truly the only one that can get through to him."

"Gramps… I don't think I can do this."

"Yes, you can!" said Lila, and as she did Blue felt the pure passion and love a mother has for her child radiate from her core. "My son, he needs you right now. He needs his best friend again."

"And you need him Blue. To find a sense of closure, and be able to move forward. To find the thing you claim to be missing inside, and to grow as both a person and a trainer. Besides," Oak added with a grin, "I'm sure that after all this time. He's missed you too."


	15. Feeling Blue: IV

_Feeling Blue: IV_

Cold winds whipped Blue across the face as he stepped out into a scene of shimmering daylight. For days, he had been wandering around the maze-like caverns that wound their way through the infamous Mt. Silver. At first, he wasn't sure if he would ever find where it was that Red was hiding. But after discovering a chamber in the caverns that had been worn down into a flat arena, Blue knew they were on the right trail. Higher and higher he had climbed, and now he found himself at the foot of the mountaintops sheer walls. Quickly his eyes scanned the area, looking for any signs of his Rival.

" _He would go and hide at the top of a mountain. Typical drama queen,"_ sneered Blue while retrieving a pokeball from his pocket. "Rhydon help me out here!" There was a flash, then a large dinosaur looking creature with grey plated armor appeared. Its red eyes told Blue that it was irritated at the cold of the mountain. "Oh calm down, trust me I don't like it any more than you do," said Blue while climbing onto the Pokémon's back, "but we need to get even higher than this. See that ledge up there? Use rock climb and take us up!" Rhydon let out a loud cry as the claws on its hands and feet elongated, pulsing with a vivid yellow light. Blue held on tight as his Pokémon shot forward with incredible force. Within seconds they had scaled the large wall, having reached a small wooded area.

The peak of the mountain still loomed up above, and Blue could see a slight trail winding through the snow. He followed this path as it curved about the mountains edge. A few times he had to delve back into the small caves that dotted the mountainside, and before long he found himself looking north towards the peak. The edge of the tree line was just above him, and a series of rocky protrusions jutting from the walls of Silver all seemed to lead up. With Rhydons help Blue scaled these walls, passing by the tree-line in the process. At this elevation, he could almost reach out and touch the clouds that engulfed the tip of the mountains peak. The only way forward was another cavern, which caused Blue's skin to instinctively shiver. Something about this one was different than the others.

 _He's close._

Blue's stomach filled with Butterfree's as he strode into the cave, where he was greeted by a rather bizarre sight. The chamber was cramped, with only a small pathway existing between the walls which were the source of the oddity. Each one had hundreds if not thousands of tiny letters engraved upon them, which Blue quickly recognized as the shapes of the Unown. While a clear majority of these carvings seemed to be sporadically placed along the walls, one set stood apart from the rest. Along the western wall was an enormous circle, composed of three layers of this script with each successive layer encompassing the last. At its center clung a small rectangular stone, whose innards had been smoothed down creating a small hollow. Blue felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise as he stared into the center of the circle, and for moment he could have sworn that he heard someone whispering. As if they were just on the other side of the wall.

 _"Blue, now is not that time for that."_ rang the voice of his Grandfather in his head. Blue chuckled a little. It had been some time since he had imagined hearing the old coots favorite saying. As he neared the back of the cave he found another steep wall, whose surface had quite purposefully been jammed full of rocks of all shapes and sizes to create a makeshift ladder. Together with Rhydon, Blue ascended from the cave, and found himself standing at what seemed the very top of the world. Freezing snow fell from the sky as a bitter wind howled below. From here he could see all of Kanto and Johto, and despite each breath taking a painful bite from his lungs, it was still a beautiful place to behold. Stretching out before him was a lone path covered in snow that led towards a sole plateau. And standing there, gazing down at the world far below, was Red.

Blue for moment found himself at a loss for words. Inside, he felt the oddest concoction of emotions. Jealousy, rage, envy, but also to his surprise a warming sense of joy.

"Never thought of you as the guy with a view!" He called out, hoping that his voice sounded far more controlled than his heart. Red turned to his old friend, his face hidden beneath the bill of his hat.

"…"

Blue wasn't sure why, but he couldn't help but give a cocky smile as he strode towards the plateau.

"So, you're still playing the silent type eh? Well I guess with a view like this It's kind of fitting. A bit melodramatic for my taste, but still just look at that! Pallet Town is so small from up here!" Red returned to his silent vigil as Blue came to stand next to him. Apparently jokes were not the right way to go.

"Look I uhhm. I didn't come all the way up here to make fun of you. You know that, right?" Red remained as unreadable as ever, and Blue began to feel his patience thin. "Look it took me a really long time to find you, could you maybe just say something? Like, 'Hey! Nice to see you too!' Or maybe 'go away, I don't want to see you'. Anything at all because I don't quite know what it is your thinking, and I'm actually trying to be sincere for once in my life."

"…."

"Believe it or not I'm not here to battle, or anything like that so don't even bother trying. I came to bring you back home. Your mother is worried about you. Gramps is worried, Lance is worried, the whole region is in a fit about it alright! So why don't you stop this whole mystic hermit charade and just come back with me?" Red simply shook his head, and without turning pointed his hand back towards the cavern. Blue understood, he wanted him to leave. "Red I am not leaving here without you. Your mom told me herself. I have to bring you home! I made her a promise." Red reached into his pocket, and retrieved a Pokeball. Blue saw the flash of his tan eyes from beneath his hat, and understood. The only way his rival would ever leave this mountain, was in defeat.

"Fine then… stay up here and freeze if that's how you really feel." Blue turned and began to head back towards the cavern. He couldn't believe it. Red had always been withdrawn, but never like this before. His grandfather had been right, something had changed inside and now he was something else. Something Blue did not like. He had always maintained a begrudging respect for his competitor but this. This just filled him with disappointment. This was not the Red he faced two years ago.

 _"He is not the same trainer he once was…"_ This thought ricocheted around the inside of Blues head, and as he closed his eyes all he could see was Red's mother, and her pleading eyes. He stopped just before the caves entrance. Things were different now, and he knew what he had to do.

"Oh alright, if that's how it has to be then FINE!" He shouted whilst whipping around to face his rival. Red also turned, one hand gripping the bill of his hat, the other already holding a Pokeball.

There were two bright flashes, and a gust of air as Blue's Pidgeot took flight, circling the top of the mountain. Before Red stood a small yellow mouse, its fur bristling with powerful waves of energy.

"Typical, you would start with Pikachu!" taunted Blue. He knew because of the altitude that Pidgeot would not be able to fly much higher, and the bitter cold would zap the stamina of both trainers Pokémon in battle. With only a nod to guide it, Red's Pikachu engulfed its body in a fierce aura of vibrant blue electricity. "Here it comes!" shouted Blue, who had secretly gripped a second pokeball behind his back. Pikachu charged towards Pidgeot while its trainer smiled. "Your even more predictable than I thought you'd be!" In one smooth motion, Blue recalled Pidgeot while sending a second to take its place. "Rhydon use Drill Run!" Thanks to the Drill Pokemons ability lightning rod, Red was helpless to stop his Pikachu from careening directly into Rhydons' spinning horn which struck a vicious blow. Blue half expected to see the poor critter faint, but much to his surprise found that his opponent had held on.

 _"Just how strong are these guys?"_ he thought, marveling at the Pikachus level. In a split second the mouse was on the move again, its tail surging with a silver gleam. With one solid smack across the face, its iron tail toppled Rhydon to the ground.

"Get up! Use earthquake and finish it off!" Rhydon quickly rose to its feet, an aura of sheer strength engulfing its body as it smashed its fists into the ground. The entire mountaintop shook, snow hurtling off the slopes as a great shock wave sped towards Pikachu. Yet the attack failed to connect as Red made his own switch, Pikachu vanishing only to be replaced by an enormous green dinosaur. Venasaur endured the attack, before retaliating with enormous tendrils of green energy that wrapped themselves around Rhydons' body. With its remaining energy stolen, Rhydon collapsed upon the ground.

"Ok come back. Now Alakazam!" A large humanoid and yellow Pokemon appeared, brandishing its two spoons menacingly as it faced down its foe. Blue himself studied Red, wondering if his Rival would go for another trade off. "Psychic Alakazam and make it a good one!" A vaporous, purple energy enveloped Alakazam before it thrust both hands forward, sending a bolt of the force towards Venasuar. In turn the seed Pokemon reared up on its hind legs as large roots sprouted out from the flower on its back. These then burrowed into the earth before re-emerging as massive thorny vines that swung toward Alakazam. They Frenzy Plant came to a sudden halt however, when Alakazams energy attack consumed Venasuar in its aura, granting the psi Pokemon control. With on swift movement it raised Venasuar high into the air before slamming it back down again hard. The super effective hit was too much, and his opponents Pokemon fainted.

Red's eyes furrowed at this, and his next Pokemon was nothing less than a sight for sore eyes. A great draconic like beast, with orange and creamy scales took to the sky. It was his starter, it was Charizard.

"Long time no-see you old brute!" Called out Blue. Much like its trainer, Charizards face was furrowed and serious. Blue could feel his already excited heart beat faster. Red gave a quick snap of his fingers, and the flame Pokemon released a mighty star emblazoned inferno heading straight for Alakazam. A tremendous explosion smoked the space between the two trainers, and Blue smiled as he saw his second swap had indeed worked. An enormous and majestic canine Pokemon with a vibrant orange pelt marked with jagged black stripes had taken Alakazams place. His body glowed red, signifying that his flash fire ability had absorbed the power of Charizards fire blast. "Now Arcanine extreme, speed!" Gone in an instant Blues Pokemon next appeared as it rammed its body into Charizard, sending both straight to the ground. Arcanine landed on its feet, whilst crushing Charizards beneath its body.

"Nicely done!" Smiled Blue, though his smile was quick to turn into a frown when a mighty blue and purple light burst out from beneath his Pokemon. Charizards dragon pulse sent Arcanine careening high into the air, and Blue could see that Red would not waste this opportunity to make a second attack. "Use flare blitz!" Shouted Blue as Charizard soared up to meet his foe mid-air. Arcanines body ignited in a spectacle of blue fire as it launched itself like a comet at Charizard, whose claws had elongated into vicious swords. The two attacks collided, and once again an explosion rocked the field. When the smoke cleared however, Blue saw his Pokemon fainted upon the ground, Charizard roaring with pride at its victory.

"Arcanine, come back to me! Alright then, if that's how you want to play it!" Shouted Blue as he called out his own starter Pokémon, "now go Blastoise!" A flash revealed an enormous bipedal turtle Pokémon with powerful canons emerging from its shell. Blue knew that Red would want to trade out, and yet that risked his next Pokémon facing the fury of Blastoise's first attack. Regardless of his rivals' decision, Blue knew his next choice. "Now blast that old lizard with hydro pump!"

It seemed Red was confident in sticking with his current Pokémon as he did not attempt to switch out. Instead, he issued yet another nonverbal command. Charizard took flight, releasing a second Fire Blast which engulfed Blastoise in its flames. Yet the shellfish Pokemon endured, and in return jettisoned two pressurized streams of water that collided with Charizards body, knocking it from the sky and out of the fight. Before Blue even had a chance to cheer at this victory however, Charizards body was gone, and Pikachu had returned. Red gave a curt nod as the mouse Pokémon charged forward, its body flashing with violent blue sparks. With one fierce attack, Pikachu smashed into Blastoises' face, rocking the water Pokemon with energy. As the two separated, it was clear to see that volt tackles recoil was too great, and Pikachu went down along with Blastoise.

"Would you look at that… It's a double knock out!" smiled Blue as he recalled his Pokémon. "You really are something else, you know that Red?" Blue knew that they were far from finished. Each trainer had lost three Pokémon, and with three more to go anything could happen. Yet, none of that seemed to matter to Blue. Instead, he felt himself growing lighter by the minute. As if the weight of the world was sliding from his shoulders with every K.O. He hadn't felt this good during a battle in a long time. "Alright then here we come! Pidgeot back to you!" Blues great bird appeared once more, opposite of a purple shelled sea creature sporting a large horn on its head.

 _"Lapras. Dang he's got the advantage."_ Thought Blue. He knew that at this stage of the battle, he could no longer switch out his Pokémon, not without causing devastating damage to his team still waiting in the wings. From here on out, it should be one on one.

"Hurricane!" Cried Blue. Pideot went to work immediately flying with astounding grace and speed as it began to circle Lapras over and over. The sea Pokemon responded with its brine attack, attempting to pelt Pideot with concentrated droplets of water. Yet the air current from Pideots assault protected it, and as the attack reached full cycle Lapras was spun into the air before dropping back to the ground. "Nicely done now use heat wave!"

"…..!"

Pidgeots wings were engulfed in a blazing aura, while at the same time Lapras gave a mighty cry as a tremendous icy gust blasted forward. With a beat of its wings the great bird Pokemon sent a blistering wave of heat to meet the assault, and as the two attacks collided the fierce temperature difference created an burst of air that smacked both Pokemon. However, Lapras in its well-grounded state shook this off, as Red ordered its next attack. A misty aura emanated from its eyes as it released a pulse of psychic energy around it in a large ring. Pidgeot was helpless to avoid it, and as it was struck Lapras swung its head around, causing Pidgeot to smash into the snowy ground. Red gave a confident smile before his Pokemon unleashed yet another Blizzard attack, knocking Pidgeot out of the fight.

"Cross Chop!" Shouted Blue before his next Pokeball even had a chance to open. In a dazzle of light his Machamp emerged, charging toward his foe with its four grey arms. Blue saw the panic in Reds eyes as he went to make a switch, but he had been to slow. Machamp was already upon the sea Pokemon, using an uppercut with its first set of arms before chopping back down with the second pair in a vicious attack that crushed Lapras into the ground. "Getting a little bit sloppy with our technique I see. I don't know Red, maybe all this time on the mountain has given you cold fingers!" Blue could see Reds eyes furrow beneath his hat. His next Pokemon appeared, a small but vibrant feline Pokemon with lilac fur and gleaming eyes. At the center of its forehead was a pulsing red orb.

" _Espeon."_ Blue knew it would be a risk but had no choice as Espeons body became cloaked in vapory blue energy. "Get back Machamp!" The brawling Pokemon barely escaped as it was switched out with Blues last Pokemon, "Brace for it Alakazam!" The yellow psi Pokemon returned and was greeted immediately by the powerful psychic attack which blasted him back towards the edge of the cliff.

"Strike back with shadow ball!" Alakazam crossed its two spoons as an orb of shadowy energy collected above them, before blasting forward at the psi Pokemons command. In response Red swiped his hand through the air, Epseon projecting a translucent blue barrier in front of it. With its light screen defending it Espeon casually shrugged off the attack.

" _Ohhhhh that's not good."_ Thought Blue as their oppenet made their next move. The orb on Espeons head grew brighter as it released a sinister ray of blue and green energy straight at Alakazam.

"Teleport!" shouted Blue with panic in his mind. That was a signal beam, one hit from it and he knew Alakazam would be finished, "then follow up with another shadow ball!" Alakazam vanished into nothing as the beam scoured the ground, kicking up a huge burst of snow. In another instant Alakazam had returned directly behind its foe unleashing yet another blob of dark energy. Yet the Light screen swiveled around, intercepting and lessening the power of the attack. "Teleport again!"

This time though Red was prepared. At his command, Espeon lashed its tail, spawning dozens of star shaped rays that began flying around the arena. Before he had even returned, the swift attack homed in on Alakazam, and as he reappeared he was bombarded by the attack. "Shadow ball one more time!" cried Blue. He knew that they couldn't win this fight, but if they could just cause enough damage…

At its trainers bidding Espeon charged straight toward the attack, its orb flashing bright again. Shadow ball collided with its barrier, after which it fired another signal beam. "Tele-" but it was no good. Espeons close range meant its attack came that much faster, and Alakazam cried out in pain as it was blasted backwards by the super effective move.

 _"Only one left,"_ thought Blue as he recalled his Pokemon. "Now Machamp, lets wrap this up!" Machamp returned to the field, a fierce gleam in his eyes. Blue knew he couldn't let Espeon fire off its psychic.

"Good thing that little barrier of yours only works on special attacks! Now bullet punch!" Machamp's fists turned a metallic silver as it charged forward with blistering speed. In one swift motion, it struck, catching Espeon below the belly and knocking it high into the air. Before it could even hit the ground, Red recalled his Pokemon confirming the K.O. to which Blue smiled. "And then there were only two."

One final flash, and a colossus of a Pokemon stood before them, its mouth open in a wide yawn. "Alright Machamp, you've got the advantage now let's bring that Snorlax down! Cross chop!" Machamp used its strong legs to jump up towards Snorlaxs' face, unleashing a ferocious attack using all four of its arms at once. Blue was so confident in the attack, that all he could feel was a sense of horror when the gargantuan Pokemon swiped its hands through the air, unleashing a powerful gale of freezing wind. The blizzard attack blew Machamp backwards a few paces, while the now furious Snorlax came charging with alarming speed. "Machamp Bullet Punch!" The fighting Pokemon shook of the previous attack, charging once again at its foe with gleaming fists. Meanwhile Snorlax spread its arms wide, its belly seemingly growing even larger than Blue thought possible. The two attacks met, and Blue cringed as he watched Machamp be crushed by Snorlax's body slam.

For a moment the two trainers stood silent, then Snorlax's body began to move. At first Blue thought it was the Pokemon's own doing, but he quickly realized this was wrong when he saw his Machamp ferociously using its immense strength to lift the titan off himself.

"Machamp! Give it one last shot and use dynamic punch!" The brawlers body shuddered as it locked three arms into place, while the fourth reared back, fueled by a golden aura.

"… ROLL BACK!" Blue was so taken aback at the sound of Red's voice that he lost track for a moment what was happening. Snorlax curled its body into a ball and rolled backwards off Machamp, whose attack swung only at open air. "Now Giga Impact!"

"Cross Chop!" Shouted Blue. The two pokemon charged, Machamp with its arms poised to strike, and Snorlax whose body was cloaked in a veil of swirling purple and yellow energy. Machamp unleashed its attack, striking a critical blow to Snorlax's tucked head before being crushed by the stampeding Pokemon. In turn Snorlax let out a painful cry, before toppling to the ground.

Blue could hardly believe it. Both Pokemon lay fainted upon the ground. They had tied.


	16. Feeling Blue: V

_Feeling Blue: V_

For a few silent moments both trainers stood, looking down upon their fainted Pokemon. Blues blood had been pumping so fast, that he found himself sweating despite the bitter cold of the mountain. Without a word he returned his fallen fighter to its pokeball as did his rival. They hadn't won the battle, and yet they hadn't lost. The whole truth of the situation filled Blue with the most peculiar blend of emotions and before he could stop it, he found himself burst into laughter.

"You must be joking! Red what on earth was that! That was some of the sloppiest battling I have ever seen out of you! Not letting Lapras absorb Hydro Pump? Thinking Venasaur could out speed Alakazam? Your Pokemon are at crazy high levels, by all accounts I shouldn't have even come close to winning!" Blues laughter rang brightly in the snowy air. He didn't know why he found the situation to be so funny. A part of him felt cheated that Red hadn't battled him seriously, at least he didn't believe he had. Yet another part of him felt glad. As if all the years he had spent brooding over their last battle had melted away, slipping down the mountain with every K.O. that had passed during the match.

At last Blue managed to contain his giddiness. Red stood silently, his gaze having glazed over in a delude of thoughts. Blue began to approach his plateau once more.

"So, does this mean we get to share the mountain now? I won't lie If I'm moving in up here there's going to be some changes to this cold dump." joked Blue. He quickly found himself rushing forward though, when without warning Red collapsed to the ground. "Woah! Hey now Red? Red?! Are you alright?" Blue dropped to his knees, helping Red into a sitting position. As he did, Blue was finally able to see the sheer exhaustion that exuded from his rival. Dark bags lined his eyes, and his hands were cold to the touch. "Red… How long have you been out here?"

"… It's been a few days I guess."

"You guess?!" scolded Blue, digging through his bag for a stash of Yache berries he had brought up the mountain. "Here eat these, they will help." Red seemed hesitant for a moment before scarfing the berries down in a flash. The fruits powerful effects soon took, warming the young man's body from within. "Come on now, let's get you out of this weather," said Blue, hoisting his rival to his feet.

Three hours later Blue sat with his back pressed up against his Arcanine while a large roaring fire filled the cavern with crackling light. He had used up the last of his medicinal reserves to reinvigorate both his and Reds Pokemon. Working together they gathered a large supply of fire wood, as well as many berries and other tasty treats hidden on the nearby slopes down below. Unfortunately, it seemed that the intensity of their battle had caused an avalanche not to far down below the mountain, preventing the two trainers from departing as Blue had hoped. He wanted to get Red down as soon as possible, but now they had no choice but to wait.

A kettle sat over the flames, tea brewing within its belly. Blue hoped that a nice pot of hot tea would be just what his colleague would need when he awoke. Red had practically fainted when they had reached the cavern, and Blue was thankful that his rivals Pokemon were willing to listen to him while their trainer remained unconscious. It was clear to him now that Red hadn't slept or eaten anything in days. Blue had taken the liberty of lending his sleeping bag to the trainer who now lay sleeping next to the fire. His sleep was an envious one, and Blue couldn't help but smile at how cozy he looked.

"Thanks for the fire Arcanine," said Blue, enjoying the warmth upon his back from his Pokemons fur. As he leaned back further, he found his gaze wandering about the walls of the cave. The many strange Unown carvings seemed fresh, and he mused at their origin. Had Red put them there? Is that what he had been up to all these years? And if so why? What purpose did they serve? The whistling from the kettle broke this train of thoughts, and as Blue reached over to silence it he noticed Red stirring. "Geeze, and I thought Snorlax was the king of sleep around here," smiled Blue.

Red seemed confused at first, rubbing his eyes before looking around the room frantically.

"It's ok, its right here," said Blue while flashing Red's hat with his left hand. With a flick of the wrist he sent it spinning over to Red.

"…Thanks."

"Yeah sure thing," said Blue while pouring the first cup of tea. Despite the millions of questions that he knew he had logged away at some point in his head, he found himself struggling to speak.

"How long was I out for?"

"Not as long as you'd think. Two or three hours I suppose," said Blue, rising so that he could hand Red the warm tea. "Here drink that. I used most of the Yache berries I had left, along with some jasmine tea leaves your mom gave me to brew that."

"Thank you," said Red awkwardly as he took the cup. Blue noticed that he was avoiding eye contact.

"So then," said Blue as he sat back down next to Arcanine.

"So then…" repeated Red.

For a while the only sound that filled the cave was that of the fire cracking in the air.

"I uhm, love the Décor? Sure, let's go with that," said Blue, gesturing toward the walls. Reds eyes followed, until becoming fixed on the far western wall where they seemed to study some unseen thing.

"They aren't mine."

"Oh? That's funny. I never had heard of any Unown ruins here on the mountain. Talk about a discovery! Wait till I tell Gramps."

"You can't!" said Red abruptly, and as he did Blue noticed a look of fear pass over his eyes. Finally summoning the courage, Blue asked.

"Red… What's going on with you? Why are you here? What's this all about?"

"… Why do you care?" While the question annoyed Blue, he found himself unwilling to argue.

"You seem worried about it. Your mother, she said that something happened to you while you were out at the Sevii islands. She said it changed you, made you feel like you had to become stronger. Why? You are already the most powerful trainer in all of Kanto and Johto, heck I wouldn't even be surprised if your one of the strongest trainers in the entire world!" Red seemed hesitant to answer, holding his cup close to his chest and taking small sips of tea.

"Why are you here Blue."

"Well that's a stupid question. I'm here to bring you home!" Said Blue, feeling his old frustrations rising.

"Why are you here" repeated Red this time looking directly at Blue, His tan eyes filled with a deep and curious gaze. Blue found himself at a loss, unsure of what to say. He knew deep down what Red meant.

"Look. I know this might be hard to believe, but you must trust me when I say that battling you wasn't why I came up here. I swear to you!" Reds gaze remained firm, and blue felt his cheeks begin to turn red. "Why would I even want to battle with you! I lost to the Johto champ in case you hadn't heard. He took me down at the gym without a problem! Then I hear from Lance that you beat him up here on the mountain. Only a fool would think he stood a chance against someone stronger than the current champ!"

Blue hoped his words would reach Red, but the more he thought about it the more he doubted it. Nearly every time they had seen each other in the past three years, they had battled because of him. At first Blue was always the victor, but somewhere around Lavender Red began to grow in power in a way that Blue had never managed or understood. Red turned his attention to the fire, his face becoming unreadable. Normally, Blue would have grown annoyed at this, and yet instead he found himself almost pleading inside. He didn't just want to make Red understand, he had to.

"Your mom. She asked me to come here herself Red. She acts like she is strong but inside. Its killing her. Your being gone all the time, never being able to hear about you or what you're doing or if your even ok. It's hard on her. Even Gramps has been worried about you… I've been worried about you." Red stood, looking down at the sleeping bag still on the floor.

"I appreciate everyone's concerns, but I can't leave. Not yet, not until…" His voice trailed off as he walked over to the western wall, his eyes sweeping the circular patterns of Unown. "Not till I've earned the power that I need." Fresh confusion washed over Blue as he to stared curiously at the wall. Yet his attention didn't linger there, instead he found himself unable to stop staring at his old rival. He couldn't believe how much he had grown. He was just slightly above Blue in height now, and his face no longer looked like that of a kid. It was fierce, and yet still somehow kind. The old friend that Blue knew all too well was still in there somewhere. He stood up, walking over to stand next to Red.

"I… I'm sorry you know that, right? About everything." Red glanced over at Blue,

"Sorry?"

"Gramps was right. He told me that If I wanted to become stronger. If I wanted to be a better trainer that I had to come here. So, in a way, I guess I did come to become better than you." Blue shuffled his feat, unsure of where it was he was going with this. "But after seeing your mom, and after seeing you. I think… I'm starting to get it. Two years ago, Gramps told me I lost because I hadn't learned to care for my Pokemon properly. But, the more I think about it, the more I realize that it wasn't just Pokemon. It's everyone. I wanted to be a success so that Oak would feel like he had a worthy Grandson. So that I wasn't a disappointment to him like my dad was.

"Blue…"

"When Gramps started giving you all that special attention. I guess I became jealous. I was worried that he would replace me with you if I didn't go above and beyond his expectations. I never even stopped to think about how you felt. My dad just up and left Pallet, wanted nothing to do with my Grandpa or Pokemon. Somehow, I thought that made us the same, that you didn't deserve extra attention. But at least my dad is still alive. Your dad died, and I was such a lousy friend that I never even considered what that was like for you." Reds face softened a bit.

"I… I thought you didn't want to be friends anymore. I thought when I said I wanted to be a trainer someday too. That you felt I was copying you. It's funny, I never really dreamed I would become the champion. I was just excited to finally go out and see the world. See it all with my new friends…and with you."

"At least you took your time," laughed Blue softly, "I was in such a rush that sometimes it feels like I never even saw Kanto."

"You always were two steps ahead," Red said jokingly back.

The two stood in silence for a bit. Blue couldn't quite explain it, but he felt good. Better than he had in a long time. Like an old wound had finally managed to close.

"Look. Whatever it is that you are worried about. You don't have face it by yourself. This won't be like how it was with Giovani and Team Rocket. You're not alone this time. I want to help, whatever that means I need to do."

Red looked over, and Blue could see that same fear in his eyes once again.

"I was at the Tanoby Chambers when it happened. The Unown started acting bizarre, and then this man. He somehow just appeared out of nowhere. He had shadowy eyes and floated just above the ground. The Unown seemed to worship him, spinning around him in circles. He called himself Percival, and that he was very excited to meet me. He challenged me to a battle and…" Red seemed to become lost in the memory itself.

"What happened Red?"

"He was strong. Stronger than anything I've ever seen. We didn't stand a chance against him. After we lost, he said that we had to become stronger. That somewhere along my journey I had lost something important, and that to grow beyond we had to seek out The Power of Bonds. Somewhere on Mt. Silver, he said that I would find what I needed to become whole."

"Become whole? But why?"

"Someone is coming Blue. Someone even stronger than Percival. He didn't say who or when exactly. Only that soon, one with terrible power would awaken once more. That calamity would follow him across the world, and that if he wasn't stopped in his pursuits. Everything would be forever lost."

"That's why you're here then. You've been training nonstop to obtain this power?" Red's eyes grew watery as he placed a hand against the rune covered wall.

"Yet no matter how hard we try, nothing has been revealed to us. We are running out of time, but nothing I've done seems to work!"

The fire had died down by this point, and shadows had begun enveloping the cave. Blue felt fear twinge through his heart. The idea of a someone even stronger than Red was indeed a terrifying thought, and the idea of someone being stronger than that seemed impossible. But as he stared at his old Rival in the dying light, he felt a warmth course through his heart.

"Well then its settled. No matter who it is, when they come, or how strong they are. If they think they can take down two of Kanto's strongest Champs ever, they've got another thing coming!" smiled Blue. Red looked over confused.

"Two?" Blue laughed before turning to face Red fully.

"Two. You and I Red. Whenever this guy decides to show up. You won't have to face him alone. I'll be there, to offer whatever help I can. So what if you don't have some power this weirdo talked about. We are the youngest Champs in world history! Two prodigies working as one team. Nothing can stop us!" Red smiled, then without warning pulled Blue into a tight hug.

"I really have missed you," he said. Blue found himself at loss, but then smiled and began to hug back.

"Yeah… I've missed you too."

A great gust of air swept through the cavern, extinguishing the fire and plunging the two trainers into darkness. Arcanine stood, its fur bristling and its ears twitching this way and that.

"What's happening?" said Blue as the two friends separated. Yet his question was soon answered as lights began to fill the cave. Small, twinkling lights like the glimmering of stars. The letters upon the walls were lighting up one by one. They seemed to make strange patterns, lines that began to stretch across the walls heading towards the great circle. A hum filled the air as beeping sounds began sounding off all around in a chorus of odd sounds. As the circle of script lit up, a great beacon of light shot up from the small basin at its center. The two trainers were forced to shield their eyes as the light and noise grew to calamitous levels.

Then as quickly as it had come, everything went dark and quiet save for the sound of trickling water. Blue struggled to see as his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the cave once again.

"Arcanine, can you help us out please?" There was a woosh as the canine Pokemon re-lit the campfire bathing them once more in its orange glow.

"Look!" said Red pointing towards the wall. The once hollow basin was now overflowing with water, and as the trainers approached they noticed two shimmering stones that now lay in its depths. Carefully Red reached in, retrieving the first stone which he held up to the light. It was a small, smooth, marble like stone of rainbow. At its heart was a strange catseye symbol.

"What is that?" said Blue while marveling at the stone.

"I'm not sure," said Red, "but there is another one in the basin." As he reached in to retrieve this stone, his face furrowed. "It won't budge."

"What?" Blue stared down into the rippling water. Sure enough, there was another stone but try as he might Red could not remove it from its resting place.

"…Blue, why don't you give it a try?"

"Me? But why would I get a stone…" confused as he was, Blue could not deny that he felt the stone was almost calling out to him, and as his fingers grasped around it he felt a tingle of energy shoot up his arm. Without any effort, the stone came loose. Blue pulled it up from the pool, marveling at it.

"The power of Bonds…" said Red as he came to stand next to Blue, holding up his own stone so that the two glimmered together in the firelight. Then with a smile he wrapped his other arm around Blue, pulling him closer as he smiled. Blue smiled too, as he gazed at the glittering stones.

"I think we've both found what we were looking for."


	17. Feeling Blue: VI

_Feeling Blue VI: Battle Legend_

 _Two Years Later_

Blue sat in a large and comfy chair, his mind racing with the thrill of his last battle. Steven Stone had been one tough opponent to overcome, but Blue had managed to triumph over the steel specialist. His victory had earned him spot in the World Tournaments top three, of course there was still one last match still to come.

The trainer turned his attention to the empty room around him. It was one of the two battle pools, a place where the tournaments contestants could wait in between rounds. Now that they had reached the tournaments end however, there was no need to linger. What a crowd it had been though! Blue never would have believed in his wildest dreams that an event of this magnitude would ever happen. A tournament, reserved solely for those who were recognized by an official Hall of fame. In other words, a battle royal of the worlds champions, both current and past. He and Red had traveled by plane to reach far of Unova where the tournament was being held. During the preliminary rounds, Blue had finally managed to even the score with the former Johto champ Ethan, and had proceeded to take down an enthusiastic old timer named Alder from Unova. He had met his match though when he faced off against a powerhouse of a trainer named Cynthia from the mystical Sinnoh region. She would be battling Red in the final round, with each trainer attempting to earn a new title. The winner would be crowned a Battle Legend.

"Well, bronze is still a medal!" smiled Blue. Once it would have driven him mad to have lost after coming so close to the grand prize. But ever since that day on top of Mt. Silver, he had felt a genuine change of heart. Instead he found pride in how far he had come, and couldn't wait to cheer Red on in the finals. "Speak of the Devil!" Shouted Blue as Red walked into the room. He bore his usual expression of seriousness, but it no longer held the cold deafness it had two years ago. Blue could still remember the look of joy on the face of Reds mom when they walked through the door. They had spent that night drinking hot chocolate, catching up on old times, and staying up late into the night playing on Reds old gaming system.

"You better not mess this up! Kanto's got to be the first region to have its very own Battle legend, you got that?!" Red gave a small smile, tipped the Bill of his cap, and walked through a curtained doorway. "I've got a surprise to show you after!" Blue called after him.

He returned to his seat, knowing that he would have a small window of time before the match started. From his pocket he retrieved the rainbow stone, as well as a pair of plane tickets. They were scheduled to leave that very night, as soon as the tournament had reached completion. After returning from the mountain, Blue had tirelessly researched the rocks they had found which he now knew were called key stones. More and more of these stones were beginning to crop up, and after some help from his Gramps had managed to contact Professor Sycamore in the Kalos Region. There dwelt the answers he knew they needed, and Blue had accepted Sycamores offer to act as a pupil, studying while he was abroad. He just hoped that Red would accept his offer to come. Blue had heard that Kalos offered many beautiful sights, and was home to many unique fairy type pokemon which were scarce in their own home region. He hoped that perhaps the two of them could get a second chance at exploring a region, but this time do it together.

 _"The power of bonds, a mysterious tower of mastery, and something called Mega Evolution."_ Blue smiled as he made his way towards the door, bound for a front row seat for what was sure to be the battle of a lifetime. Regardless of the matches outcome, he was confident that their adventures together were only just beginning.


	18. XII: Mindful History

Mindful History

"Noctowl use defog!" A great brown bird swept through the air as its wings were glazed in a shimmering light. With every wing beat it sent out large crescents of energy that swept away a thick fog that had engulfed William and Artemis during their latest expedition. As it turns out, rather than backtracking towards Eterna city the two had discovered a much more reclusive road that led up through the Sinohhian highlands. Will couldn't help but marvel at the beautiful valley that lay before them. Lush forests on all sides, while the hills steadily climbed up towards rockier terrain. There ancient bridges lay stretched across deep canyons which glimmered with numerous waterfalls cascading down into the rushing rivers below. Artemis recalled his Pokemon with a smile. "Looks like all of that training has paid off!"

"Not bad at all!" said Will with an approving grin, "I can't believe more people don't travel this way. It's absolutely gorgeous around here!"

"Well I can imagine that all the fog might be one reason," chuckled Artemis as the two-resumed walking, "lots of folks don't bother going places that are hard to access."

"Well that makes no sense, those are the places that are the best to explore!" cried Will while his eyes hungrily explored the landscape for any signs of movement. He knew that they were getting closer to the cold of Sinnoh's north, for the air here had a slight chill even in the midst of the summer day.

"True, but as it takes a hefty amount of time learning skills like Defog, many trainers just skip over them. After all it's a move that has very limited use in terms of combat," said Artemis with a thoughtful expression upon his face. "Now and days it's all about having the most powerful moves."

"My grandfather always told me that utility and combat were like stalagmites and stalactites. One behooves the other, and as you grow more skillful in applying each, they eventually meet in the middle to form a sturdy pillar."

"You grandfather sounds like a very interesting guy, albeit eccentric," laughed Artemis through gasping breaths. The two were now headed steadily up the side of a large hill.

"He has taught me almost everything I know about Pokemon and battling," wheezed William, "though I admit I am nowhere near as powerful as him. I watched one time when he competed in a gym leader's tournament where he was allowed to fight at full strength. A lot of people learned that day that my gramps is still one of the toughest Johto trainers out there."

"Full strength?" Asked Artemis with a confused Look. Will grinned, happy that for once he could explain something.

"You see a gym leader cannot always battle with all their strength. Official league rules state that a leader must compete at a predetermined scale of power. Where they fall on the scale is dependent on how many gym badges the current challenger is already in possession of. This way, newcomers to the league won't find themselves helpless against the gym leaders of a region, while seasoned trainers will find themselves facing a bit more of a challenge."

"Then that means, a leader must always have a rotating team of Pokemon?"

"Yes and no. Most leaders always maintain a core team, while training other individual Pokemon that reside with them at their gym. That's why many gyms attempt to replicate the environment that you might find that species of Pokemon in. Not only does it give them a home field advantage, but it helps to make them feel comfortable and at home."

"I see… And becoming a gym leader, that's your dream then, isn't it?" Asked Artemis with a glance.

"Absolutely! It's been my dream ever since I was a little kid. One day, once my team is complete and I know we are ready, I am going to challenge my gramps to an official Johto League full battle. The winner will take over as reigning leader of Mahogany gym, and I will be recognized as a pro of ice type Pokemon!" said Will while triumphantly thrusting a hand toward the sky.

"Well, best of luck to you on that endeavor," chuckled Artemis as they crossed over one of the large canyons, "It's quite a noble goal."

"Thank you," said Will, though he couldn't help but feel that he had detected a slight disapproval in his companion's tone.

It was later in the afternoon when the duo finally spotted the pointed roofs of houses in the distance. Artemis excitedly rushed forward, Will right behind him.

"This is going to be so exciting! I never did manage a visit to Celesitic during my last trip around the region," said Artemis with a wide grin, "It's supposed to be one of the oldest settlements in all of Sinnoh!" As they entered the village William could see the potential truth in this statement. All the buildings held an air of antiquity about them, their architecture reminding him of buildings he had once seen in Johto's own Ercruteak city. Unique to them were their roofs, which shined a soft shade of gold, similar to the leaves of fall. The village itself was not very large, hosting no more than three or four buildings all centered around a small basin whose center boasted a single shrine. At the far end of the town Will spotted the red roof of a Pokemon Center.

"Oh, thank goodness, I hope they still have some lunch leftover I'm starving!"

"I do believe there are in fact some remains of this morning's biscuits and gravy if you're both hungry." Much to both trainers surprise an elder woman had appeared right behind them, and Will couldn't help but jump at the suddenness of her appearance. She chuckled a little. "My apologies, we don't often seen visitors to our fair little town but the two of you are most welcome."

"Hello!" offered Artemis while making a strange sort of bowing gesture towards the woman who smiled.

"Ohohoho! I see we have a scholar in our midst! Young man it has been quite some time since anyone has greeted me in such a fashion, allow me to return the favor!" She made a similar gesture back to Artemis, and William couldn't help but grin at the evident joy on his companion's face. "Tell me, what brings a pair of young gentlemen such as yourselves to our corner of the world?"

"We are bound for the north. My friend here William, he has come all the way from the Johto region to study Sinnoh's Ice rock, as well as continue his training to become a master of the ice type. While we had originally planned on taking the Eterna route, a few detours happened along the way and now here we are!"

"Ahh I see. Detours of travel are quite often blessings in disguise, for no other adventure is greater than that of the unexpected. I am Caroline, one of the Lore Keepers of Sinnoh, please come!" the two followed Caroline towards a large house at the back of the village, its tall roof slanted like a great pyramid. Inside they sat down at a large dining table as their hostess brought out a large collection of food for them to dine on.

"So, what exactly is a Lore Keeper?" asked Will through a mouthful of mashed potatoes.

"We Lore Keepers can be found all over the world my dear. It is our sacred duty to preserve the legends of the past, as well as protect and maintain relics of the ancient world." Caroline revealed a small charm around her neck. It bore a curved teardrop shape and was colored a creamy pearl. "These charms for example, were often worn by those who originally settled here at the foot of the great mountain. Some say that we were in fact the very first village in not just Sinnoh, but of all regions."

"Incredible!" said Artemis, evidently fascinated by the trinket the elder held, "So I take it then that you are also responsible for protecting the ruins here in the city?"

"How very knowledgeable your colleague is," smiled Caroline, "indeed young man, though I am afraid I must disappoint your sense of curiosity. I can see you wish to see the ruins, but they are currently of limits to all outsiders."

"Off limits?"

"Yes. I'm afraid we recently had another visitor who came to see the ruins. He however, was a rather troubling individual who broke one of our rules and took photographs of the ancient imagery depicted within."

"Why aren't people allowed to take pictures?" asked Willaim feeling the rule seemed a bit much.

"Knowledge is a treasure child. But sometimes it can also be used as a weapon. Many years ago, a man by the name of Cyrus, attempted to use the information he obtained from the ruins here to perform a most atrocious act, all in the name of creating a new world. One that lacked the human spirit. Fortunately for us at the time, my granddaughter and a few talented trainers working with professor Rowan managed to put a stop to the villainous man's plans. As a precaution against future incidences, we forbid any from making copies of the information contained within."

"He intended to make a new world?" asked Artemis with a sense of awe, "but how? Something like that should be impossible?"

"You are native to Sinnoh yes?" asked Caroline, "then you should know very well the legendary deities that claim our region as their home. Pokemon of such tremendous power, the ancients regarded them as nothing less than gods over the foundations of creation. These beings are no myths, as that evil man's actions came to prove. He sought to usurp their powers, and use them to create his new world."

"I think I remember all of this." said Artemis, his eyes becoming distant, "Yeah. When I woke up from my dream, they were all over the news. A group called team galaxy or something like that."

"Well at least some good came out of it all," smiled Caroline as she sipped on some tea, "after their leader vanished, the remains of his organization reformed and have become world leaders in the development of clean and sustainable energy."

"And this visitor. Did he say why he wanted to see the ruins by chance?"

"Well, he claimed to be a researcher hard at work on his latest theory for ancient cultures. I am not one to deny the work of a fellow involved in the study of the past, but this man had an odd air about him. I should have listened to my gut instinct, but he proved himself to be quite charismatic."

Will found himself at an odd crossroads of thought, and couldn't help but feel he knew whom the elder spoke of.

"Caroline. This man. Did he by chance have violet eyes?" The old woman seemed taken aback at first.

"Why yes he did! But, how did you?"

"Dirac was his name. I met him in the Unown ruins while Artemis and I were in Solaceon." Will spent the next few minutes explaining his encounter with Dirac to the elder, as well as the mans' plans in Johto.

"How interesting… Johto is much like our own region, very rich with history of the ancient world. I will be sure to alert its own Lore Keepers of his presence. You have my thanks young one."

After finishing their meal, the two trainers found themselves cozily settling down, and decided to remain in the village until the following morning. While Artemis was off studying books with the elder, William had decided to take the time to practice his grandfather's style of meditation. With Rotoms help, he quickly formed a large chunk of ice out of a nearby ponds water. Situating it beneath the shade of the village shrine, he stripped down to only his undergarments before sitting cross legged atop the ice. Weavile, never one to be left out, copied its trainer, sitting atop its own little ice block whilst Rotom happily buzzed about them.

Will felt the fangs of cold biting into his feet, legs, and bottom as he fought to maintain a steady mind. Pryce had developed the ice block as a means of increasing the difficulty of calming ones' inner thoughts. A master of ice should never fear the presence of the cold, and teaching the body how to endure its presence was at the core of his trainings ideology. Though his body raged against it, William fought to keep himself perfectly still, wishing only to find clarity in his head. He would need to be prepared for the cold of the North.

 _"Just focus on a single snowflake falling through the air. Picture how it might move, how large or small it is. How fast is its descent? Does it flutter? Or sway from left to right?"_ William could hear his Grandfathers advice as the cold radiating beneath him began to lessen. As his body relaxed he felt the present world slip away, almost as if he were falling asleep. Then, he could see it. The sky was dark in his mind, and the moon shone overhead. Many flakes were falling onto snow covered pines. It was quiet here. Quiet, and peaceful. In the distance, he thought he heard small waves upon a shore.

 _Kyouun?_

Will found himself confused for a moment as a strange being came into view. A tiny fairy like creature, with two tails and a grey body. The points on its tails and its forehead all sparkled with red, while its head was wrapped up in a yellow helmet like protrusion. Although its eyes were closed, he had no doubt in his mind that it was watching him.

"Uhmmm… Hello?" Will wasn't sure why, but the creature's presence only seemed to strengthen the calm that surrounded them. He offered an open palm out to it.

 _Kyouuuun!"_

In an instant the creatures' eyes snapped open, and the entire world vanished into bright light.

When Will opened his own eyes, he found himself sitting in a puddle of water. Night had fallen on Celestic town, and Weavile was staring at him with curiously. He found it hard to collect his thoughts as he stood up, dizzy and disoriented.

" _What on earth was that all about_?" he thought as he dressed before heading toward the elders' lodge. Inside he found Artemis pouring over a large and rather dusty looking tome. "Your still at it?"

"Oh William! There you are! I can't believe it, there is so much about Sinnoh I never even knew about! I mean I knew we had a rich history and all, but I never knew it went this deep! We don't have any books like this at the Canalve Library!" Excitedly, Artemis stood up, grabbing Will by the hand and leading him to a wall that was covered in many sketches. "Look! Look here at this one. See, that is Palkia, master of space and dimensions! And this one is its opposite Dialga, master of time! They literally can reshape reality around them isn't that just amazing! Oh and then this one they call Giritina, the Lore Keepers still are not certain just what it has mastery over, only that it lives in a world that's the opposite of ours! Caroline's granddaughter is currently researching it-"

But Will wasn't listening any more. Instead his focus had shifted onto one of the drawings. There was no doubt about it.

"Artemis, what's that one there?"

"Hmmm? Oh that?! That's one of the lake guardians! Uxie to be exact."

"Guardian?" asked Will while taking the picture into his hands.

"Yup. There are three large lakes in our region. Each is said to be the home of Pokemon that embodies different aspects of what we call spirit. Uxie particularly is the being of Knowledge."

"You mean, the virtues you mentioned back in Eterna?"

"Very good!" smiled Caroline who had just entered the lodge, "I see the two of you have quite an aptitude for mythology. Perhaps, with some proper training, you too could become Lore Keepers."

"Don't tempt me!" joked Artemis with a wink. "Will had never heard about the virtues until he came here to Sinnoh."

"Not very surprising," said Caroline whilst taking a seat, "The lake guardians that inspired the Sinnohian virtues are tied heavily to the history of our region. Few know of their existence beyond our borders, and even those of us that dwell here have come to relegate them mostly to tall tales. Nothing like in the time of the Ancients."

"Who are these ancients exactly? You keep mentioning them, and so did Dirac, but I've never heard of any ancients before."

"The ancients were a group of reclusive persons that first settled the Sinnoh region long ago. The very name Pokemon, is in fact a misnomer. Created by society hundreds of years ago, when we began to harness the means of carrying these creatures by our sides through Apricorns, and later Poke Balls. In the old world, Pokemon were looked upon with far more regard and mysticism. Considered by many to be magical creatures that possessed powers beyond us. The ancient Sinnohians worshiped the lake guardians in particular, for it was they who bestowed upon mankind three gifts. The gift of Knowledge, the gift of Willpower, and the gift of Emotion. Three virtues that when united form the spirit."

"They gave these to us? But how?"

"The legends do not say specifically how these boons were granted," said Caroline as she rose from her seat, "But as you yourself have seen, their influence on our culture can still be felt today. I'm sure Artemis explained to you how the virtues tie into battles."

"Yes. He told me that battles were a ceremonious way of strengthening the virtues."

"Indeed, but they were also used for another reason as well!" Artemis perked up at this, obviously intrigued to hear more. "As a trainers spirit grew, so too did the strength of their partners. Eventually, the ancients would use their battles as a means of gaining audience with the Lake Trio. If they were found worthy, they were said to have received the Guardians blessings."

"Blessings!?" Stammered Artemis, enthralled by the story, "but what does that mean?"

"Unfortunately for us Lore Keepers, that particular trail goes cold. All we know for certain is that some catastrophic event occurred between the old people and these guardians, and in an act of sadness and disapproval they vanished into their lakes, never to reveal themselves to another human again. Considering what transpired with that fellow Cyrus, I wouldn't be surprised if they've completely abandoned us."

Will looked down at the drawing again. Though it had been penned with only ink and parchment, there was no mistaking it.

"Will what's wrong, you've got that look on your face again," said Artemis.

"It's just… I saw this one. Today actually, while I was practicing Grandpa Willows meditation." Caroline's eyes Will thought seemed to flash for a moment, but when he looked into them a second time he saw only her usual kind demeanor."

"Is that so? How did you meet it?"

"It wasn't a real meeting. At least I don't think it was," said Will now feeling incredibly stupid. "It was more like a dream or a trance. I was just focusing intensely on my mediation, on emptying out my mind and then suddenly it was just there." Artemis crossed his arms with a puzzled expression on his face.

"Maybe, as the being of Knowledge, it was drawn towards your meditation?"

"Difficult to say, but I do find the entire situation very intriguing," said Caroline with a hopeful expression, "If what you say is true William, then a rare opportunity has presented itself. These guardians work in mysterious ways, it would not have revealed itself to you unless it was for a reason. Perhaps, in your spare time you could do some research for me? if the two of you are bound for the north, you might as well stop by Lake Acuity and pay your respects. Maybe even offer a prayer. Who knows, Maybe Uxie will appear before you again. If you're lucky it might even grant you its blessing!" With that the Elder gave a wheezy sort of laugh.

Will smiled, but couldn't help but feel a slight nagging inside. While he hoped the guardians appearance was a sign of good things to come, he also couldn't help but feel that it had an equal chance of having been an omen.


	19. XIII: Secrets in the Deep

XIII: _Secrets in the Deep_

The air was thick with vaporous clouds and grasping droplets. A chilling mist that filled the hollowness of a great cavernous space. The sounds of water dripping unto still surfaces echoed faintly in the distance, and the two trainers knew that they were nearing the next stop in their destination.

"The Elder said that the underground route to Snowpoint would bring us past a great river," said Artemis whilst wiping water away from a laminated map, "We should be close by now!"

"If what she said is true, then the exit should be somewhere around here. The cold from outside must be mixing together with the warmer humid air to make all this fog. Speaking of which, do you mind?"

A bright flash cast a silhouette of Artemis against the misty backdrop as he called upon his Noctowl once more. At his command, arcs of glimmering wind swept about the cavern, causing the fog to begin steadily vanishing. William could better see his colleague now and felt his gut twist in distress. The vapor had left Artemis soaked, and the paths they were soon to be traveling would be plagued by snow drifts and freezing winds. Conditions most un-ideal for their current predicament. Even Wills jacket, which was built of a sturdy and water-resistant material, was beginning to feel damp.

"Artemis, I don't want to be a naysayer here, but maybe we should turn back to the village. I mean look at you, if you take one step outside you'll be frozen stiff!"

"There should be a lodge very near the caves exit. It says so on the map." said Artemis while squinting down at the dripping guide," If we can just make it there we should be fine."

Will wanted to argue with his partner but found himself silently agreeing. It had taken them hours to make their way through the confusing tunnels that ran beneath Mt coronet, and the idea of backtracking through them seemed just as if not more daunting then the freezing winds of the north. Besides, he had his Grandfathers training and though Artemis would surly be shocked by the cold, Will felt confident that he would be able to keep himself and his partner from freezing to death.

As they moved deeper into the chamber the sound of light waves began to echo about, and before long the two trainers found themselves staring out over an enormous body of water. Though he could see its steady flow, Will had to remind himself that it was in fact a river, and not a great subterranean lake. Its sheer size combined with lingering fog made the opposite shore impossible to see, and the dark waters gave Will a feel of unease. Who knew what kind of Pokémon lurked in its depths. Artemis on the other hand seemed quite fascinated by the water, as he quickly began rummaging about his bag.

"You know, they say that this river is the sole location in all of Sinnoh where it is possible to find an extremely rare Pokémon by the name of Feebas. Do you think we have time to stop and look around for one?"

"And just how do you propose we look for it? I don't have a fishing rod with me, and I'm certainly not going swimming in that water! Besides, we're wet enough as it is!" Artemis gave the river a pondering glance before grabbing a pokeball from his jacket. With a quick flash the rock Pokémon Lunatone hovered between the two trainers, to which Will shot an inquisitive glance.

"You're not going to send your Lunatone into the river are you?!"

"Don't be silly, Lunatone hates water you know that, I just want to try out a little trick I saw once on the Poke'Nature station. Alright Lunatone, get yourself as high up as you can then use flash!" The Lunar Pokémon cooed happily at its trainer before ascending a few more feet into the air. There, its red eyes pulsed as the rest of its body started to shimmer with intense light. The Rivers surface sparkled intensely, and Will found himself startled to see an incredible number of water type Pokémon quickly retreating deeper into the river to escape the illumination.

"Keep your eyes peeled for a fish with blue fins and a dirty brown body!" shouted Artemis who was now armed with a dive ball, "That goes to you too Notctowl!" Will had almost forgotten the avian Pokémon who had continued to silently fly about the space above them, its piercing eyes blinking in agreement to its trainer's orders.

"Look unless this fish of yours evolves into an ice type Pokémon, I really can't say I'm all that interested even if it is a rare find," said William as he resumed his search for the exit. With the fog having thinned thanks to Noctowl, he could see that the rivers water occupied most of the eastern cavern, while to their left stood a great stretch of rough rocky walls. Keeping in mind the direction they had approached, he realized that there was only one way left they could continue moving forward. A narrow and dwindling bit of dry ground that opposed the rivers flow.

"Come on Artemis I'm sick of tunnels already let's get out of here before the fog starts to thicken again!" With that he quickly grabbed his friend by the coat and began to drag him along.

"Oh alright, alright fine! But I'm not giving up just yet either. Lunatone! Watch me, and on my mark use flash again!" With that the two trainers began to stride along the riverside, the cave periodically flashing with blazing light at Artemis's command. They continued like this for what felt nearly an hour, the pulsing light becoming almost hypnotic to Will. Before he could voice his growing irritation with his partners shenanigans, William began to feel the presence of a chill, as the dense, humid air became thin and crisp. The caves gloom was also becoming less and less obtrusive, filling with a natural light that he realized was pouring in from a small opening along the caverns eastern wall far up ahead.

" _Finally, we made it!"_ Smiled Will excitedly. Yet he found himself then distracted by a piercing, high pitched ring that appeared as if from nowhere. He glanced to his partner but found Artemis still scouring the river, obviously hearing nothing. Suddenly, the waters surface broke as dozens upon dozens of Magikarp began splashing about, seemingly drawn from the depths by an unknown force.

"Well now that's a bit odd," frowned Artemis with a puzzled look, "Magikarp might not be the smartest of Pokémon but even they don't usually expose themselves so willingly."

"Hey, do you really not hear that?" asked William who was now finding it necessary to shield his ears from the abrasive sound.

"Hear what?" Yet his partners question was quickly lost as the splashing of the Magikarp ceased and instead the water began to foam and writhe wildly. The two trainers watched in horror as Lunatone once more bathed the area with a radiant pulse, revealing a great shadow lurking within the deep. Noctowl let out a defensive hoot, swooping down nearer to its trainer. Then, in an explosive burst of water, appeared a gargantuan serpentine Pokémon. Its back shimmered with light blue scales, its underbelly a pale yellow. Yet most defining was its face, which was comprised mostly by a gaping maw with four distinct sharpened teeth. Its narrow red eyes glared angrily down upon the two trainers from beneath a three-pointed crest, and Will found himself gazing back into them, paralyzed in fear.

"Gyarados…"

The monstrous Pokémon let out a tremendous roar that seemed to shake the very foundations of the cavern as its eyes suddenly glazed over with a hypnotic blue light. It shook its head back and forth, as if it were wracked with tremendous pain, then deeply inhaled as bright particles of energy manifested around its mouth. Will was frozen to the spot, even as the creature prepared to launch its assault directly at him. Only once before had he encountered one of these mighty beasts. Long ago when he was still a child. His mind was swimming with horrible memories now, and he could see in them a great lake, trees shattered to splinters, a stormy sky, and a red monster.

"Will?! What are you doing run!" Shouted Artemis even as the serpent unleashed a destructive beam of pure energy. In an instant a bright green light sprang up around the trainer as Lunatone dropped from above, generating its powerful barrier to absorb the attack. The concussive shock of the assault managed to snap Will back into reality as he reached for a pokeball.

"Rotom use thunder wave on it now!" Emerging from its capsule, the plasma Pokemon immediately fired off a series of electrical waves towards its foe. Yet the Gyarados was quick to react, diving back into the water to avoid the attack while also lashing its tail creating a huge wave that swamped the area. Will found himself along with Artemis and their pokemon swept back by the surge into the cave wall behind them, and he could see the super effective water assault had severely damaged Lunatone whose eyes were clenched in pain. Even as the group struggled to recover the great serpent emerged, once more gathering energy into its maw.

"Air slash Noctowl!" Much to Wills delight, the owl Pokémon had managed to avoid the previous attack having flown up towards the ceiling of the cavern. Now a silver energy enveloped the edge of its wings, and with one smooth flap it brought down a concentrated blade of air upon Gyarados's head. Struck by the attack, the water Pokémon flinched, failing to gather enough power for a second hyper beam. In its anger it rose up even higher, viciously attempting to crunch the avian with its powerful fangs.

"Rotom hit it with thundershock quick!"

"Lunatone power gem now!" The two Pokémon rallied, the first firing a thin beam of electricity which, upon striking its target, covered it in crackling sparks of energy. The serpent roared as Lunatone rose into the air once more, its body glimmering as it blasted their foe with a cosmic blue ray. This combined assault forced the mighty creature to back down, thrashing wildly about as it sank into the water.

Where once the cavern had rung loudly with the sounds of battle, now only the swish-swashing of the water settling could be heard. Both trainers stood tense, wondering if the angry serpent had indeed been driven off. Yet nothing surfaced from the water, and in the oppressive stillness of the cave Will noticed that the high-pitched ringing he had heard before had entirely vanished. It seemed that for now at least they were safe. Yet the skirmish had left both thoroughly drenched. The light of the exit remained some thirty feet ahead, and Will found himself nervously glancing between it, and the surface of the water.

"Come on, lets get out of here before it decides to come back." Cautiously, the two trainers made their way towards the caves end, though their watery foe failed to make a second appearance. Artemis and Will returned their allies to their capsules before stepping out into a blinding assault of sunshine and frozen wind. Despite the sudden cold now stabbing deeply through his body, Will found himself smiling at the frozen tundra before him. At long last, they had reached Sinnoh's North.

"C-c-come on!" shivered Artemis who had retrieved his map which was now frozen stiff, "t-t-the lodge should be just around those trees!"


End file.
